Glow
by HibiscusAngel15
Summary: A collection of Ichiruki one-shots, from their small fluffy moments to unspoken confessions. Chapter Six: Losing You
1. Talking to the Moon

**A/N: Yeah, I know that I have Forgotten still waiting to be published, but I felt like writing something different. So...**

**Well, I plan to make this a series of one-shots based on songs, starting with this one. I think this overall one-shot is sweet but the song is sad. :( Also, this'll have many different genres since there are so many songs out there and I plan to keep this going up for a while. :D If you wanna listen to the song, I'll put up a link at the end.**

**Also, this takes place AFTER Chapter 423 in the manga, so if you haven't read it yet, then I suggest you not read this. I know that the Lost Shinigami Arc is after it, but I'm going to change up the events a bit. It also has spoilers for the latest Bleach chapters too, so...**

**Full Summary: *Spoilers for Chapter 423 and up!* Ever since Rukia left, Ichigo has gotten into the strange habit of climbing onto his roof and talking to the moon, as the song suggests. Every night, he simply sits there, talking to his White Moon. **

**Rating: K**

**Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Romance**

**Pairing: Ichiruki (Ichigo and Rukia)**

**Song: Talking to the Moon by Bruno Mars**

**Disclaimer: Bleach isn't mine. It's the property of Tite Kubo, a very awesome mangaka. :3**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Talking to the Moon<span>**

Ichigo sighed and swung a leg out his bedroom window. It was 8:00 on the dot and he didn't want to miss it. Carefully, he stood on narrow ledge and hauled himself on top of the roof. He sat down, running a hand through his hair and wondered why he even bothered doing this sometimes. But every night, when the sun finally sunk under the horizon, he went to sit on his roof.

He stared at the bright full moon shining down onKarakuraTown, his bright hair contrasting the darkness around him. "Another day of this and I might slip off and break something…" he muttered, yet no one was there. Any passersby might have thought he was insane, but he didn't really care what people thought in the first place.

"So…school sucked today. I nearly lost my wallet, got into another fight, and Keigo annoyed the hell out of me. But you know, other than that, it was okay." he said with a shrug.

Ichigo sighed again and noticed that a faint breeze started to pick up. It blew his short hair around and had a calming effect on him. He lied on his back, hands behind his head, and he stared out at the tiny, blazing stars in the distance. Most of them were blotted out due to light pollution.

He rubbed the dark purple bruise on his jaw irritably. "You probably want to yell at me for letting myself get caught up in another fight, huh?" he asked and smirked.

"You might be screaming your lungs out right now, for all I know. You might not even be here," he muttered with a twinge of sadness. His heart ached at the possibility of her not being there beside him.

He lied there in silence and thought back to the first time he talked to the moon.

* * *

><p><em>Ichigo poked his head out cautiously, waiting a few minutes to see if anyone came around. When no one turned up, he stood on the precarious edge of his window, which was only wide enough for him to stand on the very tips of his toes.<em>

_He looked down and swore a river of curses. It wasn't really that high off of the ground, but if his fingers slipped off from the rough tiles of his roof, he would definitely break something; his ankle for instance. He knew he was much more vulnerable since he lost his powers, and he hated every second of it._

_He launched himself upwards before he gave it another thought. He breathed out heavily and wondered, I must be one crazy dude to be doing this…_

_He positioned himself so that he could sit without falling. Ichigo blushed a little when he thought about what he was about to do._

_"Hey..." he began. No one answered back. Not that he expected anyone to._

_"Hey," he said with more conviction, "I know you're somewhere out there...I know you visited Inoue. She can't lie very well. Ishida and Chad saw you too...I can't believe that they would just lie to my face like that and still-!" He exhaled sharply, disgusted by his so-called friends. He felt betrayed. They knew how desperate he was, even though he was too proud to admit it. Slowly, they started growing apart, until Ichigo was completely and hopelessly alone._

_"If they're just trying to spare me the pain, they shouldn't bother." he stated viciously then put his head in his rough hands._

_"I guess…I just really miss you…" he said miserably, though it was muffled by his hands. Then, before he knew it, Ichigo blurted out everything; he talked about how heartbroken he became when she left him nearly half a year ago, how worried he was for her when she was going to be falsely executed in the Soul Society, how he began to see their relationship as more than a mere platonic friendship, and even the small, insignificant things he did that day._

_"I-"_

_He broke off when he sensed a pair of eyes on him. He glanced down at the street, feeling embarrassed and infuriated at the same time. How dare they intrude and listen to something not even meant for them?_

_"Mizuiro! How long have you been down there?" Ichigo shouted furiously._

_Mizuiro stared up at him with a dejected expression. "Not long..." was his vague reply. His rage gradually subsided and he scoffed, "Che, whatever..."_

_He scratched his chin thoughtfully and asked, "How much did you hear?"_

_His friend shrugged and replied, "Enough."_

_Ichigo rolled his eyes and put his fingers on his temples, muttering under his breath. Mizuiro smiled slyly and informed the strawberry, "Um, you should go inside now, Ichigo. The neighbors might think you're crazy."_

_He jerked a thumb to the house across the street, where a light glowed in one of the windows. A middle-aged woman was peeking through her curtains with a curious gaze. She looked like she had been watching him for a while. Ichigo's jaw dropped and his face became a bewildered red hue._

_Mizuiro smirked and continued his late-night walk. "See you tomorrow, Ichigo." he called out behind him with a wave. Ichigo grunted in response and lied down on his back, his amber orbs resting on the pale moon._

_"Ichigo..." he heard Mizuiro say, serious again._

_"Mmm, what?" Ichigo asked, annoyed. Why couldn't he just leave already? he thought._

_"You really loved her, huh?" inquired the dark-haired boy. Ichigo scowled and retorted, "What do you think, dude?"_

_He sat up and saw his friend's shoulders shaking, probably from laughter. He opened his mouth to call him some very offensive names, but Mizuiro was too far away to hear him. He sighed and a habitual scowl grew on his face. He stared out at the radiant moon, thinking of how it reminded him of her pale skin. He felt a deep longing stir in his chest and went inside, feeling lighter than he had in a long time._

* * *

><p>Talking to the moon had become a meditative ritual for him, one that he didn't want to avoid no matter what. He only did this on the off chance that <em>she <em>might be listening to him.

He shook his head at the memory and started, "I heard my dad talking to Urahara today. I think they were talking about me, but I'm not sure. This is so confusing..." He closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. He was exhausted from Fullbring training but he wasn't planning on taking a break anytime soon. He wanted his Shinigami powers back desperately, as he had told her in one of his nighttime talks before. Come to think of it...

"I never told you the reason _why_ I wanted my powers back so badly, huh?" he asked and paused to sit up, legs curling towards his chest. He looked down at the pavement below.

"Well, maybe you've known already. But knowing how naïve you are-" He ducked out of habit and he swore he heard a faint _whoosh_ sound above him, like a tiny fist swinging past his head. He grinned, something he rarely did. It became even more unusual for him to smile since she left.

"Good night. Same time tomorrow then?" He always asked that question even though he wasn't able to hear the answer. Ichigo carefully swung himself through the window and traveled downstairs to take a shower as if nothing had happened. Little did he know that that night would be the last he talked to his moon.

* * *

><p><em>I wanted to regain my strength, but I couldn't find a single path to power...I could only soldier on for seventeen months. How weak...At long last, I could finally protect my friends with my own strength.<em>

_Only..._

_Only..._

"NOOOOOOOO!" he screamed, feeling so utterly helpless and weak. Tears spilled down his cheeks as the warm rain poured down in heavy sheets, like the sky was crying along with him. His thin clothes hugged his skin tightly. His voice caught in his throat and he could scream no more.

"Is he crying? I feel so horrible." Tsukishima wondered aloud with a cruel smile. The sarcasm practically oozed out of him.

"Let him cry. We have no use for him anymore." Ginjo ordered coldly and began to walk away from the incapacitated former Shinigami. "It's unlikely we will ever meet him again."

Ichigo finally found his voice and let out a strangled, "Give it back!" Ginjo paused, his interests now perked.

"Give it back, Ginjo…Give my power back!" he shouted with despair. _Or I won't be able to see her again...My only hope for redemption is gone…_

"What? You're joking," he said, cocking his head to the side, "It's power that I gave back to you. It belongs to me!"

He turned away. "I'm sparing your life even though you're useless now. The least you could do is thankme." he sneered and Ichigo heard his footsteps getting farther away.

"Ginjo...GINJO!" he shouted with rage and stood up quickly, only to be stabbed through the chest by a shining blade. He looked back in surprise and the unexpected sight caused more tears to fall from his dark eyes.

"Dad...Urahara-san..." he whispered incredulously. He never would've thought that they would betray him, not like everyone else had. _Tsukishima got them too…_

"So that's it…that is it then," he mumbled, so low that no one heard him.

"Dad…you too? That's how it is?" he asked his father, who stared back at him seriously. Never had he felt a treachery so profound. It pierced him deeper than the blade protruding from his chest. His own father…

His dad rolled his eyes and sighed. He replied, slightly annoyed but still comforting, "...You idiot. It wasn't _me_ who stabbed you. Look closely. You should be able to see their form now. Just who is holding that sword!"

Ichigo blinked in confusion. At first, he only saw a shadowy blur that wavered his vision, but it began to fill out more until he saw her again for the first time in over a year.

"Rukia!" he shouted happily and she gave him an affectionate smile. He noticed that her black hair was cut short and thought it accented her face perfectly. He noted the fukitaicho badge strapped to her left sleeve and the gloves that belonged to Byakuya covering her arms.

Power flowed into him and he felt, rather than saw, his Shinigami powers return. He felt his heavy zanpakuto, Zangetsu, in his hand and hauled it onto his shoulder. He smirked at the shocked looks on Tsukishima's and Ginjo's faces. He planted his sword into the ground, causing much of the roof around it to crumble and crack.

"Ichigo, I have to let you know-" she began but was quickly interrupted by a fierce pressure on her lips. She froze for a stunned second but soon accepted the rough feeling of his warm mouth. She gripped his shoulders tightly and he put a hand behind her head, deepening their passionate kiss. They ignored the cheers and whistles from Urahara and Isshin's vivacious cries of "FINALLY! About time you two!"

She felt his lips curl up into a smile and they broke apart with a reluctant gasp. He stared at her with a wild luster in his eyes, taken aback by what he had just done. Rukia beamed up at him and said, "Before you interrupted me, you baka, I was going to tell you that there isn't any need for you to sulk on your roof anymore. I was there for you the whole time, even though you couldn't see or hear me."

Her eyes began to water and she looked away, angry with herself for showing that one bit of weakness. He put a hand on her cheek, gently impelling her to look at him. The tender gleam in his amber orbs was enough to make tears shed down her cheeks. He caressed her face with both hands and wiped them away with the tips of his thumbs.

"Hey...Don't cry midget, or you'll make me feel bad." She snorted but hugged him in a crushing embrace.

"So, I don't have to settle for talking to the moon anymore?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her tiny figure.

"No...Not anymore." she whispered and buried her face in his gi, trying to hide the fact that she was still crying. He held her tightly and looked up when he saw a Senkaimon opening. He squinted and the portal slid open slowly, revealing five very powerful Shinigami behind it.

"Idiot, why are you sniveling like a weakling? Don't tell me you lost all that bravado in a year! Talk about pathetic!" a man with tattooed eyebrows shouted in a teasing way and grinned.

Ichigo smirked. "Nice to see you too, Renji. Hey Byakuya, Kenpachi, Toshiro, Ikkaku," he greeted with a curt nod.

"That's...impossible!" Ginjo gasped out.

Ichigo acted like he didn't hear him. He let go of Rukia when he caught Byakuya's icy glare. She seemed to understand and stepped away, her face flushed in embarrassment.

She glanced at Ginjo and announced seriously, "They don't know that something like losing your powers is not sufficient enough to throw you into despair! Show them how you have come through much worse despair!"

Then, she gave him that look she always gives him whenever he gets in a funk. It was angry; it was outraged at his sorrow. It said, _What the hell are you sad for? There is no reason to be a depressed fool! Get up and face your enemy like the man in my heart would do!_

"Show them Ichigo! That despair cannot stop you!" she yelled, her chest swelling with pride, even though the words were meant for him. He turned to Ginjo, his eyebrows furrowed with a white hot rage. This was for ruining his friends' and his sisters' memories and thrusting him into the depths of anguish.

He pulled Zangetsu from its post on the ground and swung a huge arc forward with one hand. An immense blast of reiatsu charged after the Fullbringer, but he dodged it. The energy was enough to cut the cement roof apart, sending debris and smoke swirling everywhere.

Ginjo stared into the dust cloud that settled itself in the air and taunted, "Ha! The Getsuga Tensho is more powerful now, but that's it! This is not enough! You cannot kill me with this Kurosaki!"

Ichigo used shun-po to get behind him and muttered, "...Idiot."

Ginjo whipped around in astonishment. The Shinigami appeared to be composed, but even the wielder of Cross of Scaffold could tell that it was only a façade. The gleam in his eyes spoke of revenge and an untamed fury. He said, "That wasn't Getsuga Tensho. It's just the Ken'atsu (pressure of the sword)."

A huge blast of energy nearly blew Ginjo back and he screamed fearfully, "What is...WHAT IS THIS REIATSU?"

Ichigo stared him straight in the eye and mumbled, "Getsuga Tensho."

And so fell the sword of fate anew.

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><p><strong>AN: Wow, that turned out better than I expected it to be… I especially like that line in the end. "_And so fell the sword of fate anew._" It sounds good. XD**

**Wow, did you see Kenpachi cut that one guy in half? My face was O_O. Kinda like that. XD I can't wait for the rest of them to kick Xcution's asses! XDD I know I'm mean, but hey, they _are _the bad guys, don't judge me! :P Also, I really think that Kubo is leading to some HUGE Ichiruki moments *wink confessions or kiss cough*. This arc seems like Ichiruki all over the place, so…Is it just me? I could be delusional, but I don't care. Let me be happy since the rest of my life is anything but that.**

**Anyway, I would appreciate reviews, suggestions for songs, or you could click the Go! Button if you like it. You know, that one in the bottom left-hand corner. Yeah that one. XDD Remember to R&R PLEASE! :D**

**Link for Talking to the Moon**: http:/www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=LpjkHQxEMd4

**For some reason, won't let me put up the link, so I had to put it like that. Sorry for the inconvenience...**

_Lyrics to Talking to the Moon:_

I know you're somewhere out there...  
>Somewhere far away...<br>I want you back.  
>I want you back.<br>My neighbors think  
>I'm crazy.<br>But they don't understand,  
>You're all I have...<br>You're all I have...

At night when the stars  
>light up my room,<br>I sit by myself...

**Talking to the moon...**  
>Trying to get to you...<br>In hopes you're on  
>the other side,<br>talking to me too.  
>Or am I a fool<br>who sits alone  
><strong>talking to the moon<strong>?

I'm feeling like I'm famous.  
>The talk of the town.<br>They say  
>I've gone mad.<br>Yeah,  
>I've gone mad.<br>But they don't know  
>what I know.<p>

'Cause when the  
>sun goes down!<br>Someone's talking back!  
>Yeah,<br>they're talking back!

At night when the stars  
>light up my room,<br>I sit by myself...

**Talking to the moon**  
>Trying to get to you...<br>In hopes you're on  
>the other side,<br>talking to me too.  
>Or am I a fool<br>who sits alone  
><strong>talking to the moon<strong>?

Ahh...  
>Ahh...<br>Ahh...  
>Ahh...<p>

Do you ever hear me calling?

Ahh...  
>Ahh...<br>Ahh...  
>Ahh...<p>

'Cause every night  
>I'm <strong>talking to the moon<strong>!  
>Still trying to get to you!<br>In hopes you're on  
>the other side,<br>talking to me too.  
>Or am I a fool<br>who sits alone  
><strong>talking to the moon<strong>?

I know you're somewhere out there...  
>Somewhere far away...<p> 


	2. Tattoo

**A/N: So here's the second song-fic one-shot. It's based on the song "Tattoo". :) The title of the song strangely fit with everything, seeing as how Renji has tattoos and everything. XDD Such a weird coincidence...**

**By the way, this isn't really set during any time frame in Bleach and this chapter is from Renji's POV.**

**Full Summary: Renji finally decides to confess his feelings to Rukia. Will his feelings be returned or will rejection ruin their already distant friendship?**

**Rating: K**

**Genre: Hurt/Comfort/ Friendship**

**Pairings: One-sided Renruki and hints of Ichiruki if you pay attention.**

**Song: Tattoo by Jordin Sparks**

**Disclaimer: Bleach is the property of Tite Kubo. **

* * *

><p><strong><span>Tattoo<span>**

I noticed that Rukia was changing. She was more cheerful and didn't criticize herself for every wrong thing she did. She laughed and smiled more than she used to. I should've felt happy that she was happy. Instead, I felt this painful longing that I couldn't shake off, no matter how hard I tried.

What made it worse was the fact that it was all because of _him_. I couldn't stand that she had fallen for one of my best friends, my ally. It was obvious that he loved her too. I caught the supposedly "sneaky" side glances they gave each other while the other wasn't looking, the fact that they were overly protective of one another, and even the tiniest hints of affection that no one else seemed to notice. It had taken them nearly two years for their relationship to bud, while it took me more than half a century to build and only a second to destroy the bond we used to have. Damn, life worked in cruel ways…

I was lying on my futon in Urahara Shoten, hands behind my head, thinking about these past few weeks. Then, she called me and I answered as if everything was okay even though it wasn't. Ever since I let her go, it would never be okay.

"Hello?" I began, pretending to not know who it was.

"Hi Renji! Want to hang out today?" Rukia asked in a light tone. My eyes widened in surprise and I stood up quickly. I cursed myself for feeling so excited. It was pathetic really. I was like a dog barking wildly at the moon, yet I had no guts to actually bite. Ichigo wasn't like that. He was a fearless guy. Apparently, love didn't scare him either. Lucky him.

"Yeah, sure!" I replied, faking a happy tone. I disgusted myself sometimes.

"Okay, be there in a-" Suddenly, a huge crash sound could be heard from the other line and I heard a surprised yell from my childhood friend. I shouted her name uneasily. I was about to jump out of my gigai and head to the Kurosaki Clinic when I heard soft laughter from the other side.

"Rukia! Are you alright?" I asked again, clutching the phone tightly and pressing it to my ear. I heard a crackly sound from the other side, like someone was picking it up. The voice that spoke wasn't Rukia's.

"Oi Renji!" Damn, it was _him_.

"Hey, I was talking to Rukia, not you, dumbass," I growled out angrily. He snickered, which infuriated me even more.

He seemed to take my remark as a joke. "Whatever dude," he said, and I could picture the arrogant smirk on his face. It made me want to punch something, preferably his head.

Then I heard Rukia calling him a fool and ordering him to give her back her Soul Pager. I grinned. If I couldn't smack Ichigo, maybe Rukia could for me.

"No way!" he shouted, and his voice got fainter. He was probably holding the phone up where he knew she couldn't reach. This would've been funny had I not been in such a lousy mood.

I could imagine her jumping for it and the delighted expression on his face that contrasted her furious one. I knew that this was one of their "small moments" together. Sure they appeared to be fighting on the surface, but their eyes said something different. They held hints of affection, love even. It made me sick to my stomach, and soon Zabimaru was yelling at me to make it stop raining in my inner world. I knew I couldn't, and muttered so Ichigo and Rukia couldn't hear me, "Shut the hell up. I'm not in the mood."

Suddenly, Zabimaru materialized himself in front of me and stared, an annoyed air about him. The monkey-half of him spoke, "_Renji, it is pointless to feel grief over a matter such as this. It is unacceptable for a strong man such as you to sulk over a lost love._"

I blushed but stayed silent. Of course they would know I loved her. They were a part of me, after all. The snake hissed, "_Yeah, you pitiful excuse for a Shinigami! You need to-"_

"Oh shut up," I ordered, and he soon disappeared. I sighed and sat down on my futon. I ran a hand over my face and put the phone to my ear again.

"Hello...?" I asked when I didn't hear anything. I heard something on the other line crackle and then Rukia's voice stutter, "R-Renji, are you still there?"

"Yeah, still here. Why did it take you so long to get your Soul Pager back from that idiot? If I were you, I would've kicked him in the balls, grabbed the Pager and ran away." I snickered at the thought.

She sighed into the phone. Briefly, I wondered what had happened. How did she get her Soul Pager back anyway?

Before I could ask, she cut in, "I'm coming over in a few minutes. See you there."

"Okay, bye. See ya." I clicked the hang-up button and flipped the Pager closed.

My heart almost leapt out of my chest. She was going to be with me, and only me, today! I jumped to my feet, my mind buzzing with ideas for us to do. I quickly got dressed into my Red Pineapple shirt and a pair of jeans. I slathered on this smelly stuff that Urahara bought for me called "cologne". I stared at myself in the mirror, running over a few things in my mind:

_Okay...what am I gonna do today? Going to the movies is a bit too expensive for me right now, and I don't know where the theater is anyway. Maybe walk around the park? No, that's too girly. I'm not sure if Rukia likes going to the arcade..._

I scowled and slammed my fist against the wall. _Why can't I think clearly? Does she really have that big of an effect on me?_

Flashes of our childhood danced around in my mind; the day we met, her bossy talk when we were kids, and even when I reluctantly let her become part of the Kuchiki clan teased me. The answer was clear. Rukia did indeed have a huge impact on my life, and that wouldn't change. But that didn't seem to matter. She doesn't look at me the way she used to. We weren't as close as we used to be.

I was such a coward. I had waited to fix our friendship for too long. Now look what happened. She was nearly executed because I had brought her to the Soul Society, Ichigo had saved her, and their friendship seemed to grow from there. How could I prove myself worthy of her after that? I couldn't even defeat Kuchiki-taicho...

_Confess Renji! _Zabimaru encouraged from within me.

I stumbled backwards, as if I had been punched in the gut. "Wh-what? Confess what?" I stuttered in bewilderment.

Zabimaru snickered and said, _Your feelings for that Rukia girl, you fool. Confess them, and she may love you again._

Fear spread through me like fire. I would have already, if it wasn't for a few problems. I was scared of rejection for one thing, and that stupid bastard Ichigo seemed to have already won her heart.

"N-no..." I stuttered in embarrassment.

He chuckled, but said no more about the subject. I clenched my hands tightly and glared at myself in the mirror.

_Should I tell her? She may have loved me once, but...her feelings have changed. Or have they? _I thought and gulped. I broke out in cold sweat and my hands trembled slightly.

I dug my nails into my palm to stop shaking. I was a man, dammit, and I had to act like one. Real men weren't scared of a little rejection. Besides, I couldn't back down from a challenge like this. I was competing against Ichigo, and I intended to win, though my chances were slim.

"Alright...here I go."

* * *

><p>When she arrived, I acted as nonchalantly as I could manage. My mind, however, was a jumbled mess. I had no idea what to say to her, or when to bring it up.<p>

_Damn, I'm so stupid. I rushed into it without a plan, like I usually do. Man, what do I say...?_

She walked into the shop with a huge smile on her face. My heart raced when I saw her and that cute little grin.

"Hey," I greeted with a curt nod. She replied with a quick greeting of her own.

"So…" I began nervously. She glanced up at me with those wide violet eyes of hers.

I cleared my throat and mumbled, "So, wanna go to the back? Urahara has a pretty nice garden…"

This was pathetic. Here I was, a supposed tough guy, asking my best friend to see a garden with me. That was laughable. Ichigo would probably take her some place she would think would be fun too. I didn't know Karakura Town all too well, so I was at the disadvantage.

Suddenly, I had a brilliant idea, and that was saying something. She was starting to head towards the back when I said, "Wait! I have a better idea."

She turned around, and I could tell by the slight furrow on her brow and the frown on her face that she was annoyed. This made me snicker.

"Well, what is your 'better idea', Renji?" she asked and crossed her arms. She tapped her foot in expectance.

I shoved my hands in my pockets and felt the yen in it. Hopefully I had enough human money for my plan. I took one hand out of a pocket and jerked a thumb to the door.

"Ever been ice-skating?"

* * *

><p>I bought our rental skates from some grubby old guy and gave her one pair. We put them on and headed out to the rink, which was really a frozen pond.<p>

Rukia glided away from me while I struggled just to stand on the ice. I gripped the edge of the wall tightly and grumbled curses under my breath. My legs were shaking and jerking in random directions. It looked like I was doing some stupid tribal dance or something.

I glanced at my friend, who skated effortlessly along the ice, hands behind her back. She had a serene smile on her face, but I could see that her mind was elsewhere. Or maybe I was imagining things again.

I frowned. If a girl could do it, shouldn't I have been able to? I glared at my quivering legs, demanding they stay still. They seemed to oblige, and, as soon as I was able to stand without slipping, I skated towards the middle of the pond.

I smiled triumphantly. _This is easy! And it's kinda fun too. Huh, when it becomes winter in the Soul Society, maybe I'll try bringing ice skating there, _I thought.

Suddenly, the unexpected happened. I couldn't balance anymore, and the world flipped from under me. My head hit the cold, thick ice and my legs hung over my head awkwardly. I felt myself slide a few inches before completely halting.

"Ouch...Dammit, that hurt..." I groaned. I heard Rukia come over and she skidded to a stop near me. I peeked up at her and she had a halo of light caressing her hair, like some kind of angel. Maybe I bumped my head harder than I thought.

She smirked at me but held out a hand to help me up. My legs flopped down onto the ice. I reached up and grabbed her hand gratefully.

When I got up, I couldn't stand right. My legs kept kicking shaved ice in front of me, and I gripped Rukia's hand tightly for balance. I was probably crushing it, but I was too busy concentrating on staying on my feet to care.

She rolled her eyes and led me leisurely along. I blushed, but found skating easier with her helping me. Right foot, left foot, right, left…It was like walking.

I decided to make conversation, "How did you learn how to skate?"

She gave a little smile and said, "Sode no Shirayuki taught me."

I glanced at her incredulously. "Seriously? Your zanpakuto taught you? That's cool…"

She laughed lightly and looked at me. "I was kidding. You're so fun to tease, Renji."

I frowned and opened my mouth to say something insulting back, but decided against it. I muttered in a joking tone, "C'mon Rukia. Who really taught you? It couldn't have been Kuchiki-taicho."

Her smile grew a tiny fraction. "Ichigo did..." She scoffed and curled some hair behind an ear. "That idiot thought I wanted to go skating when I saw this place, so he took me here. We hung out with Orihime and the rest of the gang from this world. He held my hand and led me along, like this."

She whispered, "We saw some of the most beautiful fireworks afterwards." Rukia sighed contently at the memory.

I made sure she wasn't looking before I scowled. _What the hell? Ichigo already beat me to this? Damn...And they watched fireworks together! It's like the world is bent on making them a couple!_ I thought while gritting my teeth.

She beamed up at me and I quickly let the scowl drop. I knew she would've asked me if anything was wrong had I not.

"Although the first time I skated, I didn't slip on my ass." She giggled.

I rolled my eyes as my face grew hot. "Ha ha. Very funny," I grumbled sarcastically.

She glanced back at our hands and announced, "Okay, Renji. I'm going to let go on the count of three. Ready? One-"

"What? Wait! No! I'm gonna fall!"

"Two..."

"Rukia, come on!"

"Three!" She released her hand from my firm grip and stared at me from over her shoulder. I flailed my arms and my legs wobbled a bit. I finally found my balance and slid across the pond. I looked down at my feet and laughed in relief.

"Whew...Ha ha, I-I'm skating!"

"Good for you. Now your Kido skills, however, leave much to be desired..."

"Hey!" I yelled, but she coasted away, laughing.

"Come back here! You little-!"

* * *

><p>We arrived back at Urahara Shoten a few hours later. The nippy cold had flushed our cheeks pink and we were grateful that the store was so warm. I decided to make hot cocoa for the both of us.<p>

I shed my jacket and tossed it onto the small table in his parlor. Rukia carefully shrugged hers off and sat down, eagerly waiting for her cup. I strode into the kitchen. I grabbed the milk from the fridge and the chocolate powder, mixed them together, and added a spoonful of honey for a sweeter flavor. The mugs were chipped slightly, but were able to hold the steaming liquid. The delicious scent wafted into my nose and my stomach growled.

"Here we are," I said, and carefully placed the cups on the table. She smiled and thanked me.

I stared at her joyful face and it suddenly dawned on me. This was the perfect time to tell her. My heart beat faster and my cheeks felt warm. I gulped and my breathing quickened to a nervous pace.

"Rukia..." I blurted out her name. She glanced up, a confused light in her shiny violet eyes. I was always captivated by the luster they held and their intense color.

"Rukia...I love you..."

* * *

><p>There, I had said it. Finally, I had admitted it.<p>

She stared back at me with wide eyes, her mouth parted in a dumbstruck manner. I glanced down at my cup. I couldn't bear her looking at me like that. It made me feel like I had said the wrong thing. Maybe I had...Maybe I told her too soon. I felt like slamming my head against a wall.

_Me and my big mouth...Have I shattered the fragile friendship I worked so hard to build up again?_

"Renji..." she began. I glanced up and I noticed that she avoided looking at me. That hurt me more than I thought it would.

I sighed and muttered, "Now I know you don't feel the same way...I just needed to say it. I felt like it was slowly eating me inside, to the point where I couldn't bear it any longer."

I grabbed her small hand and pulled it closer to me. She twitched and I stopped. The silence that followed was excruciating. I had no idea what she was thinking, and it bothered me to no end.

Finally, she spoke, "Renji...you're right. I don't feel the same way. I see you as one of my closest friends."

I expected this, but it still felt like a blow to my chest. My arm went slack, and the hand that held hers slipped to my side. If I were alone, I probably would've cried.

"Ah...okay," I said, feigning a cheerful attitude. My gaze dropped to my hands in my lap.

My heart ached for the one thing I could never have. _It hurts...so much..._

"You know, I did love you once," Rukia said. I jerked my head up in astonishment.

She continued, "When you let me go, to be a part of the Kuchiki clan, I thought you didn't want me. I know now that you just wanted me to have a better life. At that time though, I needed protection and comfort, and I looked to you to provide that for me. However, after I left, I realized I wasn't as broken up as I should've been. I felt...free."

She saw the sadness on my face and hastily added, "It's just that...I felt like I had to show that I could do no wrong in front of you. Like I was this figure in your life that had to be strong, like you were. I felt like it was okay to admit my mistakes after I left, and then change my mind about it later. This led me to believe that I could only stay this way if I attempted to move on, in this new direction."

She grasped my hand tightly and looked me in the eye. "Renji, you're still a part of everything I do, and I will never regret meeting you. And I know you think that I think that Ichigo is more important to me than you. That's not true. You both have equal places in my heart, engraved there like..."

Rukia smirked, "Tattoos."

I had to laugh at that. "How corny..."

She grinned. "I couldn't resist," she replied with a casual shrug.

"This strangely makes me feel a whole lot better..."

"Huh...That's because I said it."

"Whatever. Be as smug as you want, I'm still taller than you."

She punched me in the arm, hard. Some things will never change between us...

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I'm not sure if that ending was good, but oh well. I write really long one-shots...XP**

**I should really be going to sleep, since school is tomorrow, but I had to finish this. **

**I love how I was able to mention episode 342 in this. X3 I watch the dub (so sue me XP), but when my friend told me about this being THE Ichiruki fanservice episode, I could not resist. It was the CUTEST thing ever! All Ichiruki fans should see it! They go ice-skating and hold hands! X3**

**Well, reviews or song suggestions would be greatly, GREATLY appreciated. Now I'm going to sleep... -_- zzz**

**Link for Tattoo: **http:/www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=USW5lOqI0D8

_Lyrics to Tattoo:_

_No matter what you say about love,  
>I keep coming back for more.<br>Keep my hand in the fire.  
>Sooner or later, I'll get what I'm asking for.<em>

_No matter what you say about life,_  
><em>I learn every time I bleed<em>  
><em>that truth is a stranger.<em>  
><em>Soul is in danger.<em>

_I gotta let my spirit be free  
>to admit that I'm wrong,<br>and then change my mind.  
>Sorry, but I have to move on<br>and leave you behind..._

_I can't waste time, so give it a moment._  
><em>I realize, nothing's broken.<em>  
><em>No need to worry 'bout everything I've done.<em>  
><em>Live every second like it was my last one.<em>

_Don't look back at a new direction.  
>I loved you once, needed protection...<br>You're still a part of everything I do.  
>You're on my heart just like a <strong>tattoo.<strong>_

_(Just like a **tattoo**, I'll always have you_  
><em>I'll always have you, I'll always have you)<em>

_I'm sick of playing all of these games._  
><em>It's not about taking sides.<em>  
><em>When I looked in the mirror, didn't deliver.<em>

_It hurt enough to think that I could  
>stop, admit that I'm wrong,<br>and then change my mind.  
>Sorry, but I gotta be strong<br>and leave you behind..._

_I can't waste time, so give it a moment._  
><em>I realize, nothing's broken.<em>  
><em>No need to worry 'bout everything I've done.<em>  
><em>Live every second like it was my last one.<em>

_Don't look back at a new direction.  
>I loved you once, needed protection...<br>You're still a part of everything I do.  
>You're on my heart just like a <strong>tattoo.<strong>  
>(Just like a <strong>tattoo<strong>, I'll always have you  
>I'll always have you)<em>

_If I live every moment,_  
><em>won't change any moment.<em>  
><em>Still a part of me and you...<em>  
><em>I will never regret you.<em>  
><em>Still the memory of you<em>  
><em>marks everything I do...<em>

_I can't waste time, so give it a moment._  
><em>I realize, nothing's broken.<em>  
><em>No need to worry 'bout everything I've done.<em>  
><em>Live every second like it was my last one.<em>

_Don't look back at a new direction.  
>I loved you once, needed protection...<br>You're still a part of everything I do.  
>You're on my heart just like a <strong>tattoo.<strong>_

_I can't waste time, so give it a moment.  
>I realize, nothing's broken.<br>No need to worry 'bout everything I've done.  
>Live every second like it was my last one.<em>

_Don't look back at a new direction.  
>I loved you once, needed protection...<br>You're still a part of everything I do.  
>You're on my heart just like a <strong>tattoo.<strong>  
><em>_  
>Just like a <strong>tattoo<strong>  
>I'll always have you. <em>


	3. Don't Ever Let It End

**A/N: Here's the third one-shot! :DDD**

**I'm not sure if my previous readers have checked my profile or not, but I posted on it that this'll just stick to being Ichiruki. Don't worry, I'll still keep "Tattoo" since it has subtle hints of my favorite pairing ;P! Also, check my profile for a more thorough explanation of this.**

**Anyway, if you guys are wondering why I didn't do "Mr.-Know-It-All", it's because I lost inspiration for that one-shot, and because the plot bunnies have abandoned me. v_v**

**Also, sorry for not getting this out earlier, school is eating my time away...T_T It SUCKS. **

**Note: The "Giants" baseball team is the Japanese version of it, the Yomiuri Giants, whose mascot is a bunny. XDD **

**Full summary: Everyone knows that Ichigo has been harboring feelings for Rukia for a long time. He knows she also loves him back. ****He's tired of pretending that their friends, so what's stopping him from telling her about his feelings? **

**Rating: K **

**Genre: Romance**

**Song: Don't Ever Let It End by Nickelback**

**Disclaimer: Bleach is too awesome to be mine. XD**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Don't Ever Let It End<span>**

"Yay! Home run!" Rukia screamed joyfully and stood up, her arms outstretched in a cheer.

Ichigo rolled his eyes and warned, "Keep it down, midget! You don't have to be so freakin' loud…"

She turned back to her orange-haired companion sitting on the couch. His trademark scowl was wrinkling his features. "But this baseball game of yours is so exciting! I really like the Giants!" she exclaimed.

"That's because their mascot is a giant mutant rabbit…"

"What did you say, Ichigo?"

"I said I like them too,"

She gave him a heart-warming grin and sat down next to him again. He gave a tiny smile of his own, the kind only she could draw out of him. He noticed that her violet eyes were wide as she stared at the screen. She leaned forward in anticipation, waiting anxiously for the pitcher to toss the ball.

He looked down at her and asked, "You really like baseball, huh?"

The Shinigami nodded vigorously and replied with sparkling eyes, "Yes! It's the best sport on human television!"

Ichigo scratched the back of his head nervously and asked, his face turning a light shade of pink, "So…if I happened to have tickets for the next game…Would you wanna come…with me?"

She whipped her head to him and looked up with large orbs. She asked with delight, "You have tickets?"

He nodded, too embarrassed to say anything else. Without warning, she wrapped her arms around him in a grateful hug and he blushed furiously.

"Um…" he began, mortified by her sudden cuddle. Rukia drew back, seeming to realize what she was doing. She coughed uncomfortably, her own face now a rosy hue. They watched the rest of the game in an awkward silence.

* * *

><p>Ichigo dug around in his desk for the two tickets. He had earned them from a <em>Shonen Jump<em> contest they had about a week ago by writing a haiku about what you would do if you won them. He instantly thought of Rukia and her love for the game, and his thoughts seemed to flow onto the paper. He was so embarrassed that he had written something so..._unmanly_ that he almost crumpled it up.

However, something stopped him from doing so. He kind of liked the poem, and it sounded nice too. Besides, it would've been a big waste of his time if he threw it away. So, after much mental debating, he decided to turn it in, under the alias "Black Sun". After a few days, he got a letter of congratulations with the two tickets inside. Rather than accomplishment, he felt humiliated that his cheesy little haiku had actually _won_ that stupid contest.

Still...

"Where are those damn tickets? The game's tomorrow! Dammit!" he cursed in a panic as he threw the papers stuffed in his desk onto the floor.

"Looking for something?" someone wondered from behind him.

He whipped around, looking frantically around for the source of the voice. He glanced down and saw Kon, the two tickets in his plushy paws. He scowled and commanded angrily, "Give me back those tickets Kon!"

"No!" the Mod Soul shouted defiantly and stuck out his tongue.

Ichigo ran towards the plushy with his arms outstretched. "Gimme those tickets!" he shouted and dove down. The lion screamed and began to run away. The hot-headed teenager had no choice but to chase after him.

Then Kon paused, holding the tickets behind him, and yelled, "You want to go to this game with Nee-san, don't you?"

Ichigo stopped in his tracks. His amber orbs widened and his cheeks flared crimson. "N-no...I-"

"Shut it, strawberry! It's so obvious that you're in love with her!" It was hard to tell, but the teen could've sworn the lion plush rolled his eyes. "C'mon Ichigo! What the hell is holding you back? You've faced huge Hollows, taichos of the Soul Society, even Aizen! But you can't even work up the nerve to ask out Nee-san!"

He rubbed the back of his neck apprehensively. "B-but I thought that you…liked her…"

"Of course I do! I love Nee-san with all my heart! But-" He sighed dramatically, putting a paw over his heart, "Sadly, she has confessed that she loves you! Oh, my mighty warrior heart is broken!"

Kon rolled on the floor, crying in a very obnoxious manner.

Ichigo was about to deny this, but the words seemed to stick in his throat. _She never confessed anything like that to me. Unless he means…_The Substitute Shinigami gulped at the thought.

It lasted only for a second, but he still cherished this memory.

_Rukia was stuck in bed with a very high fever. The worst part was that it was her birthday, and she couldn't even celebrate it properly. Her face was scarlet and beads of sweat decorated her forehead. She was encased in three huge, fluffy blankets, but she still shivered from chills. _

_Ichigo kept fussing over her, much to the entertainment of the rest of his family. They were amused at how worried he seemed to be over her, and his father started prancing around the living room, screaming about how his son was in love with his third daughter. _

_Ichigo was too preoccupied with Rukia to care:_

_"Rukia, sit up and take your medicine!"_

_"Rukia, I'll get you another blanket!"_

_"Rukia, drink this soup!"_

_However, the medicine he gave her wasn't working, and her fever spiked up. He began to treat her in a more considerate manner, helping her up instead of demanding she do it herself, carefully feeding her instead of simply handing her the bowl of soup. _

_He noticed that she was still shivering, even though she had five blankets tucked around her. She glanced up at him and whispered, "I-I-Ichigo…It's s-s-so…c-cold…"_

_He furrowed his eyebrows and asked, "Do you want me to get you another blanket?"_

_She shook her head and murmured, "C-Can…can you…p-please join me? Y-your b-body heat will p-probably h-help…"_

_"What? Rukia-"_

_"Please," she begged with wide eyes. _

_He stared back at her, his cheeks turning red. With a defeated sigh, he reluctantly lied down next to her. There wasn't much space on the bed for the both of them, especially since Rukia was curled up on her side. He hesitantly circled his arms around her trembling figure. Her body was scorching, so he failed to understand how she felt cold. He pulled her closer, trying to give her some of his body heat._

_They lied in silence for a while until she stopped shaking. He glanced down at her and noticed with alarm that she was staring back up at him. Her eyelids were half-shut, and her cheeks were still crimson with fever. She had a dreamy expression on her face, as if she drank alcohol. _

_The Substitute Shinigami stiffened when she straightened and leaned closer to him. Her lips brushed by his ear and she whispered softly, making him shudder, "Don't ever let it end…"_

_Then she rested her head on his chest and fell asleep, leaving his face burning and a pleasantly confused feeling in his heart._

* * *

><p>"Hey Ichigo! Are you even paying any attention to me?" Kon screeched in his piercing voice, snapping the teen back to reality.<p>

"Hm? Oh yeah, sure," he lied, still slightly submerged in the memory.

The plush toy raised an eyebrow and said, "No you weren't! I asked if you were going to tell her at the game! No one acts so nonchalant about lovey-dovey matters, especially a hothead like you!"

Ichigo sighed and muttered, "Well, I'm tired of pretending that we're friends, but…I'm terrified of anything we have ending. If it wasn't for her, there's nothing I could do to let it end anyway. But, when she whispered 'Don't let it end' to me, it was clear…She feels the same way…"

The lion yawned, clearly bored with the whole speech.

The Shinigami scowled and yelled, "Hey! I'm trying to be heartfelt here and you're just ignoring me!"

Kon thrust the tickets to the floor and jumped into Ichigo's closet. "Who said I wasn't listening?" he mumbled quietly and shut the door behind him.

Ichigo frowned but scooped the two tickets off the floor. He stared at them and wondered if it was even worth the trouble to get them back.

* * *

><p>"I can't wait for the game to start! This is going to be so fun!" Rukia exclaimed as she clutched a stuffed rabbit in a baseball uniform to her chest. Ichigo had technically paid for it since she used his credit card.<p>

"Mmm..." the orange-haired boy said without enthusiasm. He wore a white long-sleeve shirt and a faded pair of jeans. It wasn't his first choice, but that was the only clean thing he had to wear that day.

She twisted to him with a grin and shouted over the crowd, "Thanks for taking me here, Ichigo!"

He nodded and allowed himself a smile. He turned to stare at her, not even glancing at the baseball game before him. He noted that she put her hair up in a ponytail and she wore a rather large baseball cap over her head, covering her eyes in shadow. She clung to her stuffed rabbit tightly as she watched the game, not even sensing his eyes on her. He hadn't realized that he had gawked at her the entire game until she gazed back at him, seemingly minutes later.

He looked away quickly, embarrassed and upset with himself. Luckily, she hadn't noticed.

As soon as they got in the car, Rukia asked, "Ichigo, can we get some coffee? I'm thirsty." She glanced away, already expecting his rejection of the idea. She played with her rabbit's ear to distract herself.

Instead, he shrugged casually and replied, "Sure, why not? There's a place right across the street." He pointed out a tiny cafe, where baristas with green aprons could be seen scurrying behind the counter trying to fill people's orders. A few tables with green umbrellas attached to them were huddled outside the shop.

She blinked in surprise but shook it off quickly. "Okay, let's go," she said, attempting to keep the smile off her mouth. She carefully placed her plushy in the back of the car.

They headed across the street and into the quaint little cafe. A tinkling bell rang when he pushed the door open. The warm smell of baking pastries hit them like a wave. His mouth began to water as the sweet scents invaded his nose.

"Welcome to our shop!" a clerk greeted from behind the counter. They glanced up at the menu, which had a various array of coffees and pastries. Ichigo's eyes widened when he saw how many different chocolate-flavored items there were to choose from.

"I'm coming here more often…" he mumbled to himself as he walked to the case of pastries near the register. Chocolate croissants, rolls, and cookies all lay in the display in neat rows, tempting him to buy one. He looked at the clerk and ordered a caramel frappuccino and a chocolate croissant while Rukia asked for a peppermint mocha and a chocolate chip cookie.

A few minutes later, they were sitting at one of the shaded tables outside, a breeze cooling their coffee down while they ate. Ichigo was clearly enjoying his croissant, while Rukia was staring at the parking lot across the street, nibbling her cookie.

When the Substitute Shinigami finished his meal, he saw that Rukia still hadn't finished her cookie. "You gonna eat that?" he asked curiously, pointing at the half-devoured cookie in her hand.

She glared at him and pulled it closer to her. "Of course I am! I don't waste food!" she shouted and took a big bite just to prove her point. He rolled his eyes and rested his head in a hand.

"What were you staring anyway?" he asked.

She pointed at something across the street and he turned his head. The only thing there besides his car were two cops, strolling along with bored expressions. "I was just wondering why I never see human police officers doing anything," she said seriously.

His eye twitched and he burst out laughing, which startled her. "Wh-what?" she stuttered, taken aback by his sudden outburst.

He waved her away and snickered quietly. He calmed down a bit and answered, "N-nothing. It's just that you're kinda right…The cops in this town don't really have to deal with anything. I mean, to regular people, cops seem so cool, when we're the ones really protecting Karakura."

She giggled along with him. "That is true! I mean, even if they could see Hollows, guns wouldn't work against them."

Ichigo shook his head. "They'd be too scared to even pull out their guns. They'd probably wet themselves from fright!" he suggested, which made the both of them crack up.

_It's times like these I really enjoy…_Ichigo thought. _We can laugh while we both pretend that we're not in love and that we're just good friends. Just hearing her laugh makes me feel good inside._

She sighed and pretended to wipe a tear away. "Oh my goodness…That was funny…" she breathed out and took a sip of her mocha.

He grinned and nodded in response, still chuckling. She smiled in her cup and glanced back to the store. A light blue flyer hung in the window and she read it with interest. It had a picture of a band rocking out to whatever song they were playing and messy Kanji advertised who it was and when they were playing. The raven-haired Shinigami's eyes widened as she read it and she grabbed Ichigo's sleeve urgently. He glanced up, a puzzled furrow in his brow.

"Oh! Oh! Ichigo! Aqua Timez is coming toKarakuraTown! Can we please go? Please?" she begged, tugging his long sleeve insistently.

He raised an eyebrow and glanced at the bright poster. The date for their concert was this upcoming Saturday and the band would be playing many of their famous hits such as: "Sen no Yoru wo Koete", "Alonez", "Velonica", and even their new hit "Mask". Fortunately, the concert was a free show and it would take place in Karakura Central Park.

He frowned when he saw that it started exactly at 10 a.m., which was around the time he usually woke up on the weekends. He fought with himself on the matter and reluctantly mumbled, "…Sure, let's go. Aqua Timez is a pretty good band."

Ichigo mentally smacked himself and thought, _What the hell am I saying?_

Rukia narrowed her eyes and put a cool hand on his forehead. The teen blinked and leaned back in his seat, baffled at what she was doing. She frowned and affirmed, "Well, you don't have a fever… "

He furrowed his brow and replied, "Of course I don't."

Her face scrunched up in thought. A few minutes passed before she spoke again, "Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden? You haven't teased me or called me names, and we haven't had a fight since last week! It's rather strange. For all I know, you might be an imposter."

"Shut it, midget."

_WHACK!_

"Any further comments, Kurosaki-kun?"

Ichigo held his now-bruised leg and bit his lip to keep from crying out in pain. "No…I'm sorry…" he choked out angrily.

The Shinigami smiled and continued to sip her mocha happily while he scowled.

* * *

><p><em>BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!<em>

Ichigo groaned as he slapped his alarm clock. He yawned and sat up slowly, feeling groggy and irritated with having to wake up so early on a weekend. _Why the hell did I agree to this? _he wondered and glanced at his clock, which read _7:00 a.m. _He ran a hand over his face and thought, _Argh…So…EARLY…_

He shuffled to the bathroom, his eyes squinted. He got dressed in a dark purple shirt and baggy green cargo pants that were ripped at the knees. He quickly checked his face in the bathroom to make sure he didn't have any drool marks near his mouth and then went downstairs.

Since it was only seven, no one else was up and about. Ichigo made himself a cup of coffee and some buttered toast while he waited for Rukia to finish up upstairs. He wanted to leave before his insane father woke up and disturbed the peace of the hushed morning.

Luckily, Rukia showed up before said crazy man could make an appearance. She grabbed the bag she packed the day before and nodded at Ichigo. He put his dishes in the sink quietly and they headed out the door.

As soon as he locked it behind him, they heard an all too familiar voice scream, "GOOOOOOOD MOOOOOOORNING…"

The teen jumped to the side instinctively and kept walking without looking back.

"ICHI-OOF!" Isshin landed face-first in the hard pavement. The Substitute Shinigami's eye twitched and he quickened his pace.

His father raised his head slowly, blood already beginning to spurt from his recent injury. He stared incredulously as both Ichigo and Rukia continued without gazing back at him with so much as a glance. "Just where do you think you're going so early in the morning, my son and third daughter? Off to a secret romantic picnic someplace…ahem…_private_? Hm...You don't need to be so shy; just stay here and be as…ahem…_romantic_ as you want!" he exclaimed with a mischievous grin.

Ichigo was about to kick his father to a pulp, but the shorter Shinigami placed a hand on his arm, stopping him. He glanced back and she gave a subtle shake of her head. He stepped back and allowed her to do whatever she was going to do.

"Kurosaki-san, your son was taking me to see that really cool band, Aqua Timez, in the park. He's so kind, and I know that he got that from you! But you don't want us to go, do you? Oh, if I can't see my favorite band today, I don't know what I'll do…" She wiped a fake tear away.

Tears welled up in Isshin's eyes and he blubbered, "Oh Rukia! Please go on ahead! I was just kidding! I'm sorry!" he screeched and stood up quickly, wiping the tears off his cheeks. "Just keep an eye on my hooligan son for me, will ya?" he added with a wink.

Ichigo's jaw dropped and he was about to yell curses at his father when she interrupted, "Of course Kurosaki-san! I knew you were a kind man!"

She twirled around and gave the orange-haired teen a thumbs-up. He rolled his eyes but followed after her.

Isshin shook his head at his son and muttered under his breath, "Ichigo…When are you gonna tell that girl you love her?"

* * *

><p>Although it was only around 7:30 in the morning, the park was already starting to fill up. "Geez, these people probably slept here just to get decent spots…" Ichigo exhaled and scratched the back of his head.<p>

"Why would they do that?" she asked curiously.

"Because some people are crazy…"

As if on cue, Keigo ran up to the both of them and screamed, "IIIIIICHIIIIIGOOOOOOO!"

He was met with a fist to the face, but that didn't seem to faze him much. "Aqua Timez is coming to Karakura today, dude! I'm so freakin' excited! I camped out in a tent and got a large espresso earlier just so I could stay up the whole day to experience their awesomeness!"

The orange-haired teen turned back to Rukia, pointed at his caffeine-crazed friend, and questioned, "You see? Crazy..."

She giggled under a hand, her hair falling in front of her face.

Keigo whipped his head to the Shinigami and squealed, "Ah! Kuchiki-san! Looking as beautiful as ever! Wait a minute..." He glanced from Ichigo to Rukia, then back to his tall friend again.

"Aha!" He pointed a finger into the air dramatically. "You're out on a date, right?"

The Substitute Shinigami's face turned pink and he stuttered, "N-no! We're just gonna watch Aqua Timez. I think that coffee has affected your idiotic mind a little too much, dude."

"Bu-"

He was interrupted by a swift kick to the head, courtesy of Arisawa Tatsuki. She stepped on him and waved. "Hey Ichigo!" she greeted while Keigo squirmed underneath her foot.

The orange-haired Shinigami smirked and exclaimed, "Yo!"

Suddenly, someone else popped out from behind the spiky-haired girl. She waved frantically and yelled, "Kurosaki-kun! Kuchiki-san! Good morning!"

Rukia gave a sugar-coated smile and said sweetly, "Good morning, Arisawa-san and Inoue!"

Tatsuki nodded at her and asked, "So, you wanna sit with us? We managed to get a spot near the front."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow and wondered, "How would you be able to save it if you all left?"

She replied, "We left Mizuiro there."

He blinked and said, "Oh. Okay, let's go then. I didn't wake up this early just to get a spot in the back you know."

"None of us did," she said with a yawn and led them to where Mizuiro was.

They followed her silently, trying to weave through the thick crowd. Rukia grasped onto the orange-haired teen's hand so she wouldn't get lost. This brought another blush to his cheeks, and he thought he was going to start hyperventilating soon. His heart beat erratically in his chest, and he cursed it for acting up. He was sure that everyone around him could hear it. Although holding her hand was a bit embarrassing, he didn't really want to let go. When they arrived at their spot, which was in front of the large stage where the band would be performing, Ichigo let her hand reluctantly slip out of his. He scowled, trying to mask his uneasiness with anger.

Mizuiro was sitting on a large blue blanket and glanced up from the cell phone in his hand. He shouted over the crowd, "Hey! You guys came!"

"Of course we came, Kojima-san! Aqua Timez is really cool!" Rukia exclaimed in her cheesy acting voice.

The black-haired boy smiled and looked back at his cell phone, tapping industriously away at the keys. Tatsuki sat by him with a sigh. The rest of the group took their seats; Keigo on Mizuiro's left, Orihime by Tatsuki, Rukia in front of Orihime, and Ichigo right by the short girl, which entertained his friends somewhat. The boys started to crack jokes about the extent of the two's relationship. They kept making ridiculous pairing nicknames for them like "Ichiruki" until the bad-tempered Shinigami threatened to beat them to bloody pulps if they didn't shut up. Rukia put her head down, clearly embarrassed by their teasing.

Needless to say, it worked, and Keigo went off to bother some other people. The group chatted away until a large bus pulled up on the left side of the park. A few people shrieked loudly and the rest of the crowd realized that Aqua Timez must have been in that bus. Two excited girls squealed and ran for the vehicle, their arms groping towards the door.

Two muscular security guards walked out and pushed the girls back. They scrambled back up and tried to get past them, calling out, "Futoshi! Futoshi! We love you!"

Ichigo rolled his eyes and scowled. _Great. Now there's fangirls here…_he thought with irritation. The lead singer strolled out, and the cheering crowd amassed to the bus. Several bodyguards walked out and managed to protect the band members from being overrun by the huge amount of fans. Futoshi, the lead singer, waved absently and gave a huge grin. He was followed by Mayuko, Daisuke, and the rest of Aqua Timez. They carried their equipment and instruments with them to the raised platform.

The bodyguards quickly escorted the band up to the stage and stood at the side. The crowd stalked after the band, and the group had to stand up to avoid being crushed by the oncoming stampede. Rukia brushed against Ichigo's arm as the cluster of people started to converge towards the platform, making his skin prickle in awareness.

Futoshi set up his mike and walked around the stage to help his fellow members. They plugged in wires and tuned their electric guitars, totally ignoring the mob below them. When they were finally done, the lead singer tapped on his microphone to test it and then screamed to the large crowd of fans, "Are you ready Karakura?"

People cheered and whistled in response. Rukia unconsciously gripped onto the tall orange-haired boy's sleeve and shook with excitement. He glanced down at her and smirked. He looked back to the stage where Daisuke strummed his guitar, playing the chords with expert fingers. The crowd roared when they recognized the song. _They're starting off with Velonica? Nice,_ Ichigo complimented mentally.

Futoshi held the microphone close and began to rap. The short Shinigami was surprisingly able to follow along and she tapped her foot as she started getting more into the song. The teen bit his lip to keep from smirking at her; he thought she looked adorable as she danced and sung along. When they finished with that song, Futoshi seemed to gasp for air. He grabbed a water bottle from behind him and gulped down its contents in a matter of seconds. A small smile played on his lips and the singer turned back to his fans again.

"I'm sure you guys are gonna like this next one..." he said and pointed to Daisuke, who grinned and started playing a rather complicated melody. The fans cheered out louder than they did the first time. _Their new hit Mask!_ Ichigo identified and smiled. He liked that song. It managed to cheer him up when he was having a bad day once.

Futoshi rapped again and Rukia danced in the limited space she had. The Substitute Shinigami lip-synched along, though not to the difficult rap parts. When that song ended, he joined in with the crowd's joyful roar. After taking a slight break, Futoshi announced, "Now we're slowing it down a bit. This goes to all you couples and romantics out there!"

Soft music began playing and fans squealed in delight. Ichigo twitched and his eyes widened in realization. _This song...It's..._He gulped and peeked at Rukia, who had a serene expression on her face. She swayed and trilled out the lyrics:

"_Aisaretai demo aisou to shinai__  
><em>_Sono kurikaeshi no naka wo samayotte.__  
><em>_Boku ga mitsuketa kotae wa hitotsu kowakutatte kizutsuitatte__  
><em>_Suki na hito ni wa suki tte tsutaerunda."_

_It's Sen no Yoru wo Koete! Ugh...Why do they have to sing a song that relates to my situation?_ he thought with a twinge of irritation. The raven-haired girl kept brushing against him, which didn't help his rapidly beating heart too much. As soon as the song ended, he breathed out in relief. It wasn't that he didn't like the song or anything. But it did remind him too much of his infuriating crush on the Shinigami next to him. He scowled deeply, upset with himself.

_Why am I being so cowardly? Why can't I just tell her? Dammit…What do I have to be so afraid of? I know she won't reject me since she feels the same…But…_He shook his head and took a deep breath. _I'll tell her when the moment calls for it. There, that should be easy enough, _he decided.

The concert was over at around 9:00 at night. The tired crowd slowly dispersed, their legs stiff from standing for hours. Orihime and Tatsuki said their goodbyes and left quickly. Mizuiro was picked up by an escort while Keigo wandered off to go get some more coffee.

An exhausted Ichigo and Rukia walked back to the Kurosaki residence with taut muscles. She yawned and kept bumping into him as she continued on. He glanced at her with concern and asked, "You okay?"

She replied with a sleepy tone, "Yeah, I'm just a little tired, that's all..." She started to fall against him, and he caught her by the shoulders. He scowled, but said in a sympathetic tone, "A _little_ tired? More like trying to push yourself to your limits, Rukia."

She took a few disoriented steps back and rubbed her eyes. "Mmm...Shut up..." she grumbled.

He rolled his eyes but turned around and crouched. He stuck his arms out awkwardly behind him, and, at first, she didn't get what he was doing. She stared uncomprehending at him until he glanced back, an annoyed expression on his face. "Well?" he asked and gestured for her to come closer. She finally understood and walked cautiously over to him. She hesitated for a second before securing her arms around his neck. He took her bag and strapped it to his arm. He placed his hands under the bend under her knees and carried her, seemingly without any effort. He walked along, embarrassed yet determined to get them home.

It was silent for a few blocks before Rukia spoke. "Ichigo?"

"Mmm?" he answered.

She leaned her head on his shoulder. "Thanks for taking me to see Aqua Timez today…It was fun."

"Yeah," he agreed. There was another silence as Ichigo continued on. Rukia's grip on his neck began to slacken, and he knew she was going to slip into a dream any moment. He hunched over more so she wouldn't fall off.

"Ichigo?" she began again, though her voice was more slurred as she battled her exhaustion.

"Just go to sleep if you want, Rukia. You need rest," he urged her softly.

She didn't utter a word, so he assumed she was asleep. He smiled and muttered, "Night midget."

* * *

><p>When Yuzu opened the door for the two, she was shocked. She knew that if anyone else had seen Rukia and Ichigo walking around like that, it would surely cause rumors. If you could call a piggyback ride in the middle of the night romantic…Ichigo greeted her like nothing was out of the ordinary, even though a girl was sleeping in his arms.<p>

"I-Ichi-nii! You…" she trailed off and her eyes got sparkly with ecstatic tears. "You and Rukia-chan look so cute like that!" she squealed loudly and clasped her hands together in an excited manner.

His face began to turn pink. Before he could protest, his dad ran over to the door and shouted, "WHAT HAS MY SON AND RUKIA-CHAN DONE? I MUST KNOW EVERY LAST DETAIL OF THEIR FIERY LOVE AFFAIR!"

Isshin was met with a powerful kick to the face, which was tough for Ichigo to do considering he had a Shinigami in his arms and his little sister blocking the doorway. The bearded man flew backwards and did two somersaults in mid-air before slamming into a wall. Several cracks as thin as a spider's web grew from where he had landed. His father groaned and slumped to the floor.

"Ichi-nii! You shouldn't hurt Daddy so much!" Yuzu scolded while putting her hands on her hips.

At the moment, Ichigo wasn't concerned about anything but Rukia. He glanced back to make sure she hadn't woken up during all the chaos. He sighed in relief when it appeared she hadn't; she slept soundly on.

"Yuzu, me n' Rukia already ate, so we're just gonna sleep now." He paused and glared at his father, who was starting to recover, and added, "In our _own_ bedrooms."

He bid everyone a good night and headed up the stairs.

* * *

><p>His eyes snapped open when he heard it. A shuffle just above him. He squinted at his glowing alarm clock. <em>2:36 a.m., <em>it read.

Ichigo scowled as he sat up. He yawned and stretched out his arms. He blinked to focus his vision, and then opened his window. A crisp breeze met him, and he shivered. The full moon illuminated his room with an intense light. After taking a deep breath, he peeked out of his window and looked up. He saw the tip of someone's foot and frowned.

"Rukia?" he whispered.

She moved her foot away from his sight, confirming his suspicions. It was Rukia, though he wasn't sure why she was avoiding him. Without a moment of hesitation, he swung his leg out the window and carefully stood on his thin sill. He gripped the weathered tiles and heaved himself up.

Rukia's legs were curled up to her chest and her dark hair covered her face in shadow. Her arms were wrapped around her knees and her shoulders slumped forward with sadness. She looked so vulnerable and forlorn that it made him want to hold her close and never let go until she felt better. Instead, he stumbled over, sat down beside her, and asked casually, "Nightmares?"

She shifted her head to him just enough so he could see that she had been crying. The one violet eye that was visible to him was puffy and watery with tears. He was shocked. Rukia _never_ cried.

His body reacted before his mind could process what he was doing. He pulled her closer and held her in a firm embrace. She trembled but he tightened his grip on her. Finally, she began sobbing, soaking his shirt with her tears.

He rocked her back and forth in a gentle motion, repeating soothingly, "Sh…It's okay, Rukia…It wasn't real…Sh…"

They remained like that until she calmed down. However, Ichigo didn't let go. He didn't _want_ to let go. Then he realized that now would be the time to tell her. No one else was awake, and they were by themselves.

"Rukia…" he blurted out before he thought about what he was going to say. She pulled back a bit to stare at him.

He began to sweat despite the cold air. He hadn't understood how hard this would be until he faced her. His mind raced at a fast speed, _Do I really want our friendship to end? Do I really want this? Does she? What if I misinterpreted her words? What if she doesn't like me the way I like her? What if-_

"I love you," she muttered suddenly. He tensed. Did he hear her right?

She returned his hug, rested her head against the crook of his neck, and said quietly, "I love you, Ichigo."

He stared at her with wide eyes and she peeked up at him warily, wondering if she was right to say what she had just revealed. He exhaled slowly, letting the air escape his lungs in a sound of shock.

He smiled down at her and rested his forehead against her hair. He whispered in an affectionate tone, "I love you too."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Ugh, the end was kinda cheesy there. XD Well, I FINALLY finished after WEEKS. **

**I hate school so damn much for taking away my writing time. XP**

**Ah well, at least I finished. I'm kinda satisfied with this, though it's the longest one-shot I've ever written. XD**

**Link for Don't Ever Let It End: http:/www (dot) youtube (dot) com/watch?v=0tQdgM8yo38**

_Lyrics to Don't Ever Let It End:_

_Don't let it end.  
>Don't let it end.<br>**Don't ever let it end.**_

_Well, I've got two tickets to the game.  
>It'd be great if I could take you to it this Sunday<br>and I'll walk you home when the whole thing's done.  
>If you're there, I don't even care which team won.<br>We could stop at the coffee shop  
>and make fun of the cops in the parking lot.<br>And we could laugh as we both pretend that we're not in love and that we're just good friends._

_Well, I'm tired of pretending, but I'm terrified of it ending.  
>I know if not for you, there's nothing I could do to ever let it end.<br>And I know you feel the same way,  
>'cause you told me drunk on your birthday.<br>And as you pulled me near, whispered in my ear-**don't ever let it end**._

_Don't let it end.  
>Don't let it end.<br>**Don't ever let it end**._

_Saturday, I'm gonna take her out  
>'cause her favorite band is gonna play downtown.<br>Gonna sing the song we've all heard of  
>about those two young friends that should've fell in love.<br>Later on, we'll cut through the park  
>and she can hold my hand 'cause she hates the dark.<br>And we can laugh as we both pretend that we're not in love and that we're just good friends._

_Well, I'm tired of pretending, but I'm terrified of it ending.  
>I know if not for you, there's nothing I could do to ever let it end.<br>And I know you feel the same way,  
>'cause you told me drunk on your birthday.<br>And as you pulled me near, whispered in my ear-**don't ever let it end**._

_(Please promise me that this won't end!)  
>Don't let it end.<br>Don't let it end.  
><strong>Don't ever let it end!<strong>_

_Greatest times we ever had...  
>It's crazy now just looking back.<br>We can laugh...  
>And you never know where life's gonna go,<br>'cause we're the ones who'll ever know._

_About Sunday night, just her and I,  
>sittin' side by side in the full moon light.<br>I pulled her close just to hold her tight  
>and the both of us could tell it just felt right.<br>She looked at me in the sweetest way,  
>like she could tell what the hell I was about to say.<br>Must've took a while just to find the words,  
>'cause she cut me off and finally said it first.<em>

_Well, I'm tired of pretending, but I'm terrified of it ending.  
>and I know when I'm With you there's nothing I could do to ever let it end<br>And you know I feel the same way, because I told you drunk on my birthday.  
>And as you pulled me near, whispered in my ear-<strong>don't ever let it end<strong>._

_(Please promise me that this won't end!)  
>Don't let it end.<br>Don't let it end.  
><strong>Don't ever let it end.<strong>_

_(Please promise me that this won't end!)  
>Don't let it end.<br>Don't let it end.  
><strong>Don't ever let it end!<strong>_

_Don't let it end.  
>Don't let it end.<br>**Don't ever let it end…**_


	4. It Will Rain

**A/N: Here's a kind of angsty one-shot for Ichiruki. I know that their relationship isn't all light and fluffy like I made the last one shot, so I decided that this fic needed a bit of angst. **

**So yeah, it'll be a little depressing... **

**Full summary: Byakuya does not approve of his sister's relationship to Kurosaki Ichigo. He wants her to marry a nobleman instead, as to uphold the Kuchiki name. So he orders Rukia to tell him that she is leaving him. What will Ichigo make of all of this? Will he stop her or let her go?**

**Rating: T**

**Genre: Romance/Angst**

**Song: It Will Rain by Bruno Mars**

**Disclaimer: Bleach will never be mine. It will always belong to Tite Kubo.**

* * *

><p><strong><span>It Will Rain<span>**

Rain poured from the sky in heavy sheets. Thunder rolled in the distance, but no lightning flashed. Kuchiki Byakuya stared out of the window of his study, pondering something. He frowned and stepped away from the window. He opened the door and called out to a servant walking close by. The noble then went to his desk. The boy entered nervously and stammered, "Y-Yes, K-Kuchiki-dono?"

He ordered without batting an eye, "Fetch Rukia. I have something urgent I must discuss with her."

The servant bowed and muttered, "As you wish, my lord." He scurried off to find the small Kuchiki girl.

He found her in her room, walking around and chatting away on her Soul Pager. He had no idea who was on the other line, but it wasn't his place to ask. He caught the last bit of her conversation as he stood in the doorway waiting for her to be finished: "Yeah...No, I was walking to the shop and-Shut up, Ichigo! I do not look like a child!" She paused as this "Ichigo" responded. The servant saw the scowl forming on her face. Her violet eyes flickered to the door suddenly and he flinched.

She looked away and said, "I'll call you back, okay? And I'm getting back at you for that later! Bye!" Rukia glanced at the servant boy and asked, "What is it?"

He bowed to her stiffly and shouted, "Kuchiki-dono! The lord wishes to see you in his study! It is of utmost importance!"

The Shinigami nodded and answered simply, "Alright." She strolled out of the room, pausing to slide her room door shut behind her, then headed to her brother's office.

Rukia hesitated outside the screen door to her brother's office. She raised a fist to knock but he ordered, "Come in."

She slid the door open and gave him a deep, respectful bow. "You wanted to see me, Nii-sama?"

He nodded and said, gesturing across from him, "Sit."

She knelt on the pillow across from him, slightly afraid. She knew it was foolish of her to be so frightened, but her brother usually never talked to her, and then only in brief commands. "Nii-sama, what is it?" she asked and stared at him with her wide violet eyes.

His expression was serious, like it normally was, but there was a strange glint in his eyes that resembled…hesitation? No, Kuchiki Byakuya was not the type of man to hesitate. He began in a monotone, "Rukia, I must discuss a very urgent matter with you…"

* * *

><p>Rukia stiffened and her eyes were enlarged and disbelieving. "B-but…Nii-sama-"<p>

"My decision is final," he interrupted her harshly. He saw the distraught on her features and added, "You must inform Kurosaki Ichigo of this. I expect he will be most difficult."

She stood up and shouted indignantly, "Nii-sama! You cannot do this! I-"

He gave her a cool glare that cut her off instantly. He couldn't bear to see the crestfallen look on her face, but his pride as a Kuchiki noble was more important to him than his little sister-in-law's feelings. "I have already informed the head of the Tanaka clan of this. I cannot, and will not, withdraw my decision now."

Her eyes watered and her lower lip trembled slightly. "But...Ichigo..." she faltered and cleared her throat. "You said that you approved of my relationship to Ichigo...Nii-sama, did you not?" she asked in a low voice as she stared at the floor.

Byakuya closed his eyes and muttered, "I did so reluctantly. He may have saved Seireitei countless times, but he is still a human, and a very young one at that. He's inexperienced in these matters. His feelings for you could change-"

"Ichigo is not like that..." she blurted out with a twinge of anger. She was baffled on why her brother was doing this, and she did not want to follow his orders this time.

He narrowed his eyes at her and repeated icily, "My decision is final. I will give you three hours to say your final words to that boy. And you must not see him any longer than that or I will come to drag you back myself. Am I clear?" There was a crackle of tension in the air, since both Kuchikis did not want to give in to the other.

"You will do this, Rukia, or I will tell the brat myself. And if I must use Senbonzakura to keep him away from you, then it is Senbonzakura I will use. You know how that will end, do you not?" he asked with a venomous glower. She bit her lip and nodded slowly, defeat stabbing her in the heart.

"Then you will inform him." It wasn't a question. It was a statement, as if he had no doubt that his sister would tell the Substitute Shinigami boy now.

Rukia's shoulders drooped and her voice cracked as she whispered, "Yes, Nii-sama..."

* * *

><p>Rukia headed through the Senkaimon with an emotionless expression. The light in her violet eyes had dulled and her skin seemed to be even paler than its usual pallor. She had arrived in her gigai, so she could simply head over to the Kurosaki clinic without trouble.<p>

The sky was overcast and bleak, fitting her dark mood. She could smell the crisp scent of rain rolling in and hear the low rumble of thunder from far away. Her gaze was focused upwards, staring blankly at the telephone wires looping above her as she walked along. Instead of excitement, which was usually the feeling she got when she was going to meet with Ichigo, Rukia felt this huge weight of dread in her chest. She could already imagine his reaction to what she was going to tell him, and it almost broke her heart.

She arrived outside the clinic sooner than she would have liked. She stared at the Kurosaki's front door for a few minutes before strolling over to it with stiff legs. Rukia raised her right hand to press the doorbell button but something made her pause. _You must do this...Kuchiki Rukia, you must uphold your nobility with grace and pride..._she thought, trying to motivate herself, yet failing miserably.

Thinking like that always brought up an image of Ichigo and the rash way he would dispute the notion of a noble's so-called duties. He would say something like: "Who cares about duty? You're free to make your own choices!" That single thought drove him to defeat her older brother in battle, as well as many other Shinigami when she was falsely jailed. His determination to save her irritated her at first, but, after spending some time in the Soul Society contemplating his heroic actions, she decided that she was really touched by his concern for her, however smothering it was.

The door suddenly swung open and Rukia made a surprised noise in her throat. She was met with a little shriek and looked down in bewilderment. She spotted Ichigo's younger sister Yuzu carrying a small plastic wastebasket full of trash in one hand. Yuzu put her other hand over her heart and stated breathlessly, "Rukia-chan! Wow, you scared me for a second there! I thought you were a robber or something!"

She took several deep breaths to calm herself. Yuzu then asked, "So, what are you doing here? Are you and Ichi-nii planning to go out on another date?" She gave her a knowing wink and a playful nudge to Rukia's ribs.

The Kuchiki glanced away and muttered, "I wish I were..."

Yuzu stepped back and tilted her head in confusion. Before she could ask what she meant, Rukia plastered a fake smile to her face and replied, "No, but I need to talk to him. Is he here at the moment?"

The Kurosaki girl shook her head and said, "No, he went out. He's at the arcade with Asano-san, Kojima-san, and Tatsuki-chan! I wanted to go too, but I had a few chores to attend to!" She sighed as she began to walk past her to put the garbage out. "You can wait for him inside if you want, Rukia-chan! It looks like it might rain soon!" Yuzu called out from behind her.

Rukia sidled inside, anxiety coursing through her. Her stomach wrenched into a nervous knot and she feared her quick breathing would result in a faint. She sat down on the plush couch and tried to clear her mind, which, at the moment, was a jumbled mess. She knew exactly what she was going to say to the strawberry, but it didn't make it any easier.

Yuzu came in a few minutes later. "I'm sure he'll be here soon! He told me before he left to call if you came, but I think it'll be better if you surprise him!" the small girl exclaimed with a beam.

The Shinigami grinned in a cheesy way, though inside her heart ached. _It'll be a surprise alright..._she thought bitterly. Out loud, she asked, "Where is the rest of your family?"

Yuzu picked up a Swiffer mop that was leaning against the wall by the stairs and replied, "Well, my dad went to a meeting and Karin went to go play soccer with her friends. I told her that she'll catch a cold if it rains, which it most likely will, but does she listen? Nope, she just does whatever she wants. Karin is kinda like Ichi-nii in that way, though she'd probably get mad at me if I told her that. She likes to think of herself as superior to him even though he's older..." She shook her head and sighed.

Rukia smiled, though it was strained. "You sound like a mother, Yuzu-chan..."

The small Kurosaki blinked in astonishment and then giggled. "I suppose I act like one, huh?" she questioned, though it seemed like it was to herself.

She turned to the other girl and announced, "I'll just be upstairs for a while. I have to mop the bathroom floor and I think I'll take a nap after that. If you need anything, you can just wake me up!"

Rukia nodded, the same smile still stretched across her face, though it didn't reach her eyes. Yuzu looked over her for a few seconds before she shrugged and headed up the stairs.

The Shinigami quickly dropped her grin and her gaze lowered to the spotless floor. The knot in her stomach seemed even more painful than when she first arrived at the clinic. She supposed she should have asked Yuzu for something for it-she was the daughter of a doctor after all-but she didn't want to bother the young girl. It looked like she had been working the whole day, which would explain the exhausted way she carried herself today.

Rukia's ears pricked up when she heard shuffled footsteps above her. She straightened, ready to put on another happy act to reassure Yuzu if she came back down. She caught a yawn and the sound of a door shutting. She let out a breath she wasn't aware she was holding. It came out like a strangled gasp, like she was deprived of air.

The short Shinigami stood up suddenly, wanting to move around to rid herself of this heavy cloud of depression that hung over her. Waiting for him to return was like an excruciating weight in her chest, and it ached terribly.

She found herself wandering upstairs, as silent as a faint breeze. Rukia tiptoed past Yuzu and Karin's room to their older brother's room. She didn't know why she wanted to go there, but she twisted the doorknob and swung the door open before she gave it too much thought.

She was hit by the overwhelming scent of the place and she paused to take a deep inhale before entering. She stumbled in and collapsed onto his bed face-first. If he were there at the moment, he probably would've yelled at her to get off in an annoyed tone. She smirked at the thought and buried her face in his pillow, which smelled like the berry shampoo he used. That was one of the reasons she dubbed him the nickname "berryhead", which she called him only when she wanted to tease him. He always tried to sniff his hair when he thought no one was looking whenever she called him that, as if wondering if it really smelled fruity.

She frowned at the recollection, reminding herself that she wasn't here to reminisce. _I don't want to do this though...I don't want to put him through any of this..._Rukia thought miserably, shutting her eyes tightly so she wouldn't cry. She gripped his sheets with shaking fists and a memory of their relationship flashed underneath her closed eyelids. Ichigo giving her a heartwarming smile as she came through the Senkaimon after she told him that her brother had approved that he was fit to be her boyfriend, him rushing to her and suddenly lifting her into an embrace, spinning around as they both laughed...

"Oi, Rukia! Wake up! Get off my bed!" a gruff voice ordered, seemingly minutes later. Rukia's eyes shot open and she blinked as harsh, fluorescent light pierced her vision. As the blurriness started to clear more, she saw Ichigo standing by the door, his usual scowl wrinkling his features. She sat up immediately and stared at him with wide eyes. He cocked his head to the side slightly and raised an eyebrow. "Well? I said get off," he commanded in a more menacing tone and narrowed his eyes. She continued to stare at him, dumbstruck. Only one thought was going through her mind right now: _Please be a dream..._

The orange-haired teen's scowl creased even deeper and he walked over to her. He put a light, calloused hand to her wrist and called her name angrily. She flinched at his warm touch and drew her hand away. He looked at her in confusion and took a step back. She was breathing heavily, as if she had run a long distance. The gleam in her violet eyes was too shiny, like they were glazed over.

She looked away and curled her legs to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. "Sorry, nightmares..." she lied in a low voice.

"Right..." he said, the underlying tone of his voice implying he didn't believe her. Ichigo stared at the small girl and wondered what was wrong.

He ambled closer to her and she scooted backwards until her back hit the wall. Ichigo narrowed his eyes, suspicious, but continued forward slowly, as if he were approaching a wounded animal. She shut her eyes and turned her head away from him. "Get away from me, fool," she commanded venomously.

He leaned towards her curiously, baffled by her cold behavior, and asked, "Why?"

Rukia whipped her head to him and glared daggers at his forehead. He furrowed his eyebrows and asked in a gentle tone, "Hey, what happened? You still sore over that call?"

She blinked incredulously at him and felt the mad urge to laugh. How trivial a matter that seemed now...

When he intertwined his fingers with hers, she stiffened. _He's not making this any easier..._she thought and brought a cold mask over her again. She wrenched her hand out of his grasp and muttered, "This isn't working out, Ichigo..."

He raised an eyebrow and leaned away from her. He got off the bed and stood up. "Well yeah. It sure as hell isn't. I can't kiss you if you keep playing hard-to-get with me right now," he joked, a faint smile playing on his lips.

She stood suddenly and turned her back to him. She hoped that not seeing his reaction would help her through this. "I don't mean that, Ichigo...I mean our relationship. It isn't working out. This-" She gestured around her, as if their relationship was something in the air. "Is not possible…"

Ichigo froze and his voice cracked slightly as he asked, "What?"

The bitter words spilled out, "Let's face it, Ichigo. This isn't a good relationship. We argue too much, I'm older than you by many years, and being with me will throw away your chance for a good future. If you stay with me, you'll end up dead in a couple of years! Your battle scars are proof of that...Do you want that, Ichigo? Do you want to throw away your life for me?"

"Rukia…What are you saying? I don't care that we argue too much; I don't care that you're years older than me. I certainly don't care about those stupid scars. And I'm not throwing my future away, Rukia…" He walked over to her and embraced her from behind. She stiffened and squirmed uncomfortably. "I'm gaining a future with you. That's all I want…Why are you saying these things? You know I lo-"

She twisted out of his grip and her shoulders shook. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes and her chest felt tight. _No…Ichigo, just get away from me…Don't…_she begged mentally.

"No, you don't. You're too young to know anything about love. I can't court someone whose loyalties may change in a few years..." she spat out and clutched her elbows. She bit her lip and cursed herself for saying that. The words that came out of her were ugly and harsh.

"Rukia...Of all people, you know I'm not like that. I would never-"

"_Shut up!_" Rukia cut in sharply. She was shaking uncontrollably now, her hands clenched into tight fists at her sides. She couldn't take this, couldn't take the hostile way she was treating him. She didn't want to hear how heartbroken he was right now, because of her.

Rukia's breathing had quickened and her vision blurred. She set her jaw and ran out of the room, hoping more than anything that he would let her go. Of course, she knew him better than that. She heard his heavy footsteps behind her and he repeatedly shouted her name, over and over. She sprinted down the stairs and out the front door. She gasped when she felt a warm shower of rain drenching her. The downpour was coming down in heavy sheets and her clothes stuck to her skin from the humidity.

She caught thunder rumbling somewhere in the distance, snapping her out of her shocked reverie. She ran down the sidewalk, trying to find a dry place to get out of her gigai. The Shinigami was about to turn a corner when she felt a familiar hand pull her back roughly by the wrist. "Rukia!" he shouted with a twinge of fury.

The short girl stumbled backwards but she faced away from him. Her hand hung limply in his firm grasp and she was aware of how soaked they both were. For a moment, it was silent, the only noise coming from the rain pattering onto the concrete. "Rukia…" the orange-haired boy repeated, "Why are you breaking up with me? You don't really want this, do you? You…" His voice faltered when she whipped her head back to him. The rain masked her tears quite well.

"You have no idea what I want. And, while I know nearly everything about you, you don't know anything about me. You have no idea what I'm capable of, what I want in life. I realize that courting a _human_," Rukia said the word as if it were the most disgusting thing she could think of, "was wrong of me."

Ichigo stared down at her with wide amber eyes. He looked utterly shocked and his grip on her slackened. She jerked her hand out of his hold and looked down at the cement.

His hand fell to his side limply and his mouth worked, trying to form speech. He swallowed hard and his voice came out low when he finally spoke, "Rukia…I've sacrificed so much for you…And you're just going to throw that back in my face? We used to have a relationship so much more than this…"

"Stop…" Rukia muttered, her voice cracking.

He took a cautious step towards her, continuing. "Do you know that if you walk away, it'll rain every day for me?"

Rukia furrowed her eyebrows and wondered, "What do you mean? Rain won't fall just because I leave you."

He grabbed her suddenly and pulled her closer to him. She stiffened as he twirled her around so she could fully face him. He gently snatched her hand and placed it flat over his chest, where his heart was. She could feel steady thumping underneath his damp shirt. "It rains here..." he said in an almost pleading tone. "If I lose you, there'll be no sunlight or clear skies...It'll just continue raining every day..."

He stared straight into her eyes, trying to see if his desperate words were getting through to her. She was avoiding his gaze but at least she had stopped trying to run from him. "I'll keep picking up these broken pieces of our relationship until I'm bleeding if that'll make it right again...Don't leave, Rukia...Stay."

She jerked her hand out his grasp and began shouting furiously, "Stop it, Ichigo! Just stop! Why can't you get it through your thick skull that I really don't want to be with you anymore? You are so selfish! You keep me here all to yourself, not even noticing that what you were really doing was choking me and making me miserable!"

Ichigo's amber eyes reflected his shock and obvious affliction at her cruel words. He simply stared at her, not knowing what to say anymore. The rain came down even faster, drenching the both of them and making Rukia shiver uncontrollably.

She pulled her Gokon Tekko out of her pocket and knocked her soul out her body. It fell to the wet cement with a faint splash. Rukia then unsheathed her zanpakuto and whirled away from him. She thrust the blade in front of her. It seemed to be swallowed up by the empty air and she twisted her sword clockwise. A sound like a lock opening echoed in the silence and a circular Senkaimon appeared before her, seemingly out of thin air. It slid open, almost blinding her from the intense white light it emanated. Several Hell Butterflies flew out of the portal and she started towards it.

Ichigo finally found his voice again and cried out, "Wait, Rukia!" He ran towards her, his hand outstretched. He stopped abruptly when she whipped around and pointed Sode no Shirayuki at his chest. He raised his hands up in defense and his amber eyes flickered to her face, which was bowed and hidden in shadow.

"Stay back. Don't try to come after me," she ordered in a stern tone. He noticed that the katana was shaking in her hand.

He took a few slow steps back and kept staring at her with a confused light in his eyes. "Don't try to come after me..." she repeated through gritted teeth. She glanced up at him with watery eyes and he wasn't sure if it was from the rain or not. "Dammit Ichigo..." She swallowed hard, mentally preparing herself for these ruthless last words she would ever say to him. "You will never know how much I really..._hate_ you..." she seethed, her voice shaking as much as the rest of her body in the cool downpour.

Something seemed to shatter in his eyes and she wondered if he was crying, like she was at the moment. He stood in front of her, his back stiff and his expression forlorn. She allowed herself to look at him one last time before she twisted to the Senkaimon without anymore resistance from the man she loved.

* * *

><p>Rukia ambled through her brother's personal Senkaimon just outside his mansion. She was dripping wet and her posture drooped like a wilting flower.<p>

Her brother stood just feet from her and she glanced up at him, her violet eyes' luster reduced to a mere hazy indigo. "It's done, Nii-sama..." she said flatly, her face void of any emotion. Her gaze then fell to the dusty tiled flooring.

"Good. You have done well, Rukia. Tanaka-san shall be a fine husband for you," Byakuya praised in his usual monotone, though this time it held a hint of contentment. She clenched her jaw and nodded stiffly at his approval. After bowing politely to her brother, she walked to her room without another word, all the while thinking of how wretched she was for hurting Ichigo so much.

* * *

><p>Rukia's knees were curled to her chest and her head was buried in her hands. She had dried up and changed into a comfortable dark red kimono with a simple flower design and a yellow sash that hung the gi and hakama she wore together. In preparation for seeing her future husband, Byakuya had ordered the maids to dress her, apply subtle make-up that made her features stand out, and arrange her hair up into an elegant swirled ponytail that hung high on her head. She supposed that her brother wanted to give Tanaka-san the impression that she was a natural beauty that was graceful and elegant, yet humble and simple.<p>

When the maids had left her, she started trembling and found she couldn't stop. Tears welled in her eyes, but she forced herself not to cry, for fear she would ruin the make-up her maids had just applied. She had curled up on her futon and tried to shut the world out, though she had little success in doing so. One thought, or rather, one man continuously ran through her mind, and it made her heart ache more than anything she had ever felt, even more so than when she murdered her former fukitaicho, Shiba Kaien.

She bit her quivering lip and, slowly but surely, her heartbeat had begun to slow. She then sat up straight, her hands clenched into determined fists at her sides, and thought with a sharp inhale, _I must prepare myself for Tanaka-san. First impressions are everything. I must not portray myself as a sniveling girl who misses her previous...lover..._

Rukia tensed as she felt an unfamiliar reiatsu arrive suddenly. She stood up, took a deep breath, and whispered encouragingly, "Well...Here you go, Kuchiki Rukia..."

She strode to her brother's office, head held high, where she could sense the unfamiliar reiatsu and her stoic brother's reiatsu. She steeled herself as she paused outside of the door, awaiting permission to enter. She heard muffled voices from behind the screen door and leaned closer to hear what her brother and the guest of her home were discussing.

"Excuse me?" her brother questioned, sounding slightly irritated.

"I am sorry to inform you of this, Kuchiki-sama, but it seems Tanaka-dono was very adamant about his decision. He does not wish to marry your younger sister because he is in love with another girl, and his father reluctantly consented to ending your agreement. He has sent me in his stead because...well...my lord is...helping his son...plan for...the wedding..." a gravelly voice affirmed with hesitation.

The Shinigami gasped and jerked her head away from the door. She put a hand to her mouth in surprise and stumbled backwards a couple of steps. It was at that moment she felt a very familiar, fiery reiatsu appear behind her.

"Rukia..." His gruff voice pronounced her name in such a gentle way that she was shocked that it had actually come from him. She slowly turned around to face him, her violet eyes beginning to water. He stood a few feet from her in his Shinigami uniform, his humongous zanpakuto Zangetsu hanging over his back. There was no scowl on his face, which was unusual for him. Instead, there was a serious expression with sadness shimmering in his amber orbs.

She stood before him, frozen and unable to form words. "Rukia...I know why you said those words to me now..." he whispered, looking straight into her eyes.

Rukia stiffened and managed to get out, "You...do?"

Before he could answer, the door to her brother's office slid open and an old man shuffled out of it. He bowed to Byakuya before disappearing with shun-po. Her brother stood at the doorway, avoiding looking at Ichigo. "Rukia...I assume you heard all of that?" he asked and his gaze flickered to her back.

She nodded and mumbled, "I am sorry for eavesdropping, Nii-sama, I just-"

"Hey Byakuya!" Ichigo interrupted in his usual rude manner. Rukia glared at him wordlessly.

"I know you think I'll never be good enough for Rukia...Hell, you can't even look me in the eye..." He sighed as he glanced at the Kuchiki noble but continued, "You know, if I was in your shoes, I'd probably be doing the same thing. If I saw _my_ little sister going off with some troublesome guy, I'd be really angry too. And for him to be _younger_ than her? That would just plain piss me off..."

The Substitute Shinigami ran a hand through his hair and looked back at Rukia. "But...I think you're just afraid of something you don't understand...Rukia, I know you really love and respect Byakuya, but please...Don't leave me just because your brother thinks I'm not good enough for you! I...You know I love you, right?" he inquired and stepped towards her.

Rukia turned back to her brother, desperation shining in her eyes. He frowned slightly and closed his eyes. He then looked back at her and said, "Go to him. If he is the man you truly love, then I cannot stop you. Besides, Tanaka-san does not want to marry you, and my agreement with his father is now no longer void..."

She blinked in astonishment when the tiniest of smiles quirked his mouth upwards. She then glanced back to Ichigo and ran straight at him. His eyes widened in bewilderment when she jumped at him. He caught her with a cry and they fell to the grass. He barely had time to yell at her before she planted a fierce kiss on his lips. Ichigo stiffened in shock, but allowed his eyes to shut as he returned the kiss with equal fervor.

When they eventually broke off, Rukia lied her head on his chest and asked, "Is it still raining, Ichigo?"

He smirked and replied softly, "Nope. And I don't think it will for a while..."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Aw...That ending was so cheesy yet cute! XDDD**

**By the way, the reasons Rukia said for breaking up with Ichigo (like saying how she was too old for him and the other hurtful stuff) was from the fic 99 Reasons by makoshark. It's such a cute fic! It's where Rukia gives Ichigo 99 reasons on why they shouldn't be a couple, and he gives her witty/cute/funny replies to each one. Fellow Ichiruki fans, you should read it!**

**Reviews are greatly appreciated as well as song suggestions! :D Or you could click that Go! button...Whichever works better for you...**

**I rather liked this one-shot! Though it started angsty, the ending was happy! (I don't like sad endings alright?)**

**Link to It Will Rain: www (dot) youtube (dot) com/watch?v=5WT7be5aKZw**

_Lyrics to It Will Rain: _

_If you ever leave me baby,_  
><em>leave some morphine at my door.<em>  
><em>'Cause it would take a whole lot of medication<em>  
><em>to realize what we used to have.<em>  
><em>We don't have it anymore.<em>  
><em>There's no religion that could save me…<em>  
><em>No matter how long my knees are on the floor.<em>  
><em>So keep in mind all the sacrifices I'm makin'!<em>  
><em>Will keep you by my side...<em>  
><em>Will keep you from walkin' out the door!<em>

_'Cause there'll be no sunlight_  
><em>if I lose you, baby.<em>  
><em>There'll be no clear skies<em>  
><em>if I lose you, baby.<em>  
><em>Just like the clouds,<em>  
><em>my eyes will do the same.<em>  
><em>If you walk away,<em>  
><em>every day <strong>it will rain<strong>, rain, rain..._

_I'll never be your mother's favorite…_  
><em>Your daddy can't even look me in the eye.<em>  
><em>Oh, if I was in their shoes,<em>  
><em>I'd be doing the same thing.<em>  
><em>Sayin' there goes my little girl<em>  
><em>walkin' with that troublesome guy.<em>  
><em>But they're just afraid of something<em>  
><em>they can't understand!<em>  
><em>Oh, well little darlin', watch me change their minds.<em>  
><em>Yeah for you I'll try, I'll try, I'll try, I'll try-y-y.<em>  
><em>I'll pick up these broken pieces 'til I'm bleeding,<em>  
><em>if that'll make you mine!<em>

_'Cause there'll be no sunlight_  
><em>if I lose you, baby.<em>  
><em>There'll be no clear skies<em>  
><em>if I lose you, baby.<em>  
><em>Just like the clouds<em>  
><em>my eyes will do the same.<em>  
><em>If you walk away,<em>  
><em>every day <strong>it will rain<strong>, rain, rain..._

_Don't just say goodbye!_  
><em>Don't just say goodbye!<em>  
><em>I'll pick up these broken pieces 'til I'm bleeding<em>  
><em>if that'll make it right!<em>

_'Cause there'll be no sunlight_  
><em>if I lose you, baby!<em>  
><em>There'll be no clear skies<em>  
><em>if I lose you, baby!<em>  
><em>Just like the clouds<em>  
><em>my eyes will do the same<em>  
><em>If you walk away,<em>  
><em>every day <strong>it will rain<strong>, rain, rain..._


	5. Little Moments

**A/N: So today is a very important day! It's birthday of none other than Kurosaki Ichigo! :D Well, happy birthday to him…In the history of Bleach, which has lasted for TEN long years and still going, he's only aged two years more. XDDD So he should be really be 25 right now. **

**Let's say this takes place today. So enjoy this little birthday Ichiruki one-shot song-fic! :D**

**Full summary: It's Ichigo's birthday, and the Kurosaki family, with the help of a certain Kuchiki, wants to make his special day absolutely perfect. However, nothing planned for him turns out the way they wanted it to be. In a day where everything goes wrong, will the little moments in between make up for the mistakes? Let's hope so…**

**Rating: K+**

**Genre: Romance**

**Song: Little Moments by Brad Paisley**

**Disclaimer: Bleach isn't mine because I am not Tite Kubo. Simple enough?**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Little Moments<span>**

Ichigo awoke to silence. In normal households, this atmosphere was natural. Yet at _his_ house, it was never this quiet in the morning, or quite frankly, _ever_.

He got up quickly, just in case his psycho of a father decided that since his son woke up to a false sense of security, he would think that he wouldn't get attacked. Well, he'd be one step ahead of him.

"Dad! It's no use hiding! Come on out!" he yelled, prepared to kick him out the window. After standing awkwardly in the middle of his room for a few minutes, he realized that maybe his father wasn't going to jump him after all.

He felt embarrassed that he had yelled so loudly. Hopefully, no one else had heard him…

Ichigo ambled to the bathroom to freshen up, wanting to forget the whole humiliating incident. After changing into a pair of jeans and a clean shirt, he headed downstairs, hands in his pockets.

"Good morning, Ichi-nii! Happy birthday!" Yuzu greeted with a beam.

Karin glanced back from her spot on the couch and said, "Yeah, happy aging, onii-chan."

Ichigo blinked and asked with a yawn, "It's already the 15th? Wow…I was busy with…work that I forgot…" He looked around and spotted Rukia sipping a glass of orange juice in the kitchen, but noticed that a certain lunatic was missing.

"Where's Dad?" he wondered as he went to make himself some coffee.

Yuzu replied, starting to sweep the floors, "He went to a meeting. He said, and I quote, 'That boy better be grateful that I'm giving him space on his birthday! In fact, that's his birthday present! Oh ho ho ho!'"

Ichigo rolled his eyes and wondered, tapping his finger against the counter impatiently, "Had to add the cheesy laugh, did you?"

Yuzu giggled and continued her chores without another word. Her brother turned around to get a mug for his coffee and was startled to find someone looking up with him. That someone was Kuchiki Rukia, and her huge violet eyes seemed to pierce through him.

"It's your birthday today? Why wasn't I informed of this earlier?" she asked with a slight frown.

Ichigo replied, exasperated, "Well, the date of my birth hasn't really come up in any conversations we've had, so…" He put his hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her aside so he could access his cabinets.

The berryhead reached up, opened the cabinet door, and plucked a chipped blue mug off its place. He walked over to the percolator and poured the bitter liquid into his cup. After pouring in cream and sugar, he downed its contents in a mere few minutes.

"So, what's the plan for today?" he asked out loud and carefully put his cup in the sink. He really didn't want a huge party or anything noisy, just a day to unwind all the stress he had of being a Substitute Shinigami.

Yuzu glanced up from the living room and announced nervously, "Well, um, onii-chan, there is something we have to tell you…"

_Oh great, she's throwing a party…_he thought, repressing a groan.

The Kurosaki girl fidgeted and bit her lip. Her twin sister blurted out, "She forgot to buy your cake and your present. Honestly, it's not even that bad…" Yuzu flinched and glared at her sister, who watched television obliviously.

The orange-haired boy let out a small sigh of relief. No party. That, at least, was a great start of this one day of relaxation. "Karin's right. If you're so worried about cake, I can drive you guys to-"

Rukia butted in accusingly, "No, let _me_ drive! You might peek at the present we get for you!"

His habitual scowl wrinkled his features. Though she did have a point…He sighed and muttered reluctantly, "Okay _fine_. Just don't crash my new truck into a pole or something…"

The Kuchiki frowned. "Do not belittle my abilities, Ichigo. I'm sure driving human vehicles will be easy!" she declared, her chest swelling with pride. The strawberry resisted the urge to slap a hand to his face.

She held out a hand to him, a demanding expression contorting her face. Since the coffee had not yet kicked in, he just stared at it blankly, unsure of what she was getting at. "What, you need money? I'm not giving you money for _my_ present, Rukia. That's totally ridiculous."

Rukia glared at him and said, "No, you idiot. I need your keys for the car. I have plenty of money. Your father loaned me some just in case you wanted to eat at a restaurant or go to the theater."

"That's…awfully nice of him…He never loans _me_ money. Why the hell is he so-"

"Ichigo, keys," she reminded him urgently.

He blinked and muttered, "Oh right…They should be near the phone." He gestured at the small house phone by the refrigerator.

The petite girl rushed over to the counter, grabbed the car keys and tugged the front door open. Karin shut off the TV and slipped on her shoes. Yuzu removed her apron and abandoned her previous task of sweeping to come with the rest of the girls.

Ichigo strolled over to the living room and plopped onto the sofa with a grunt.

"See you, Ichi-nii!" Yuzu shouted and slammed the door, making him wince. Though it was almost eleven in the morning, he considered it very early, and therefore, he did not tolerate any form of loud noise.

He stretched his arms and let out a yawn. He briefly wondered what his present would be this year. Then he thought, _Are Yuzu and Karin gonna tell Rukia where to go? Since she doesn't know her way around like I do, she might…_

He froze suddenly. That's when it hit him, an epiphany born out of pure curiosity and the wondrous effects of caffeine. Before he could act on this simple realization, a thunderous boom shook the house and he nearly fell over from the impact.

As soon as the rumbling stopped, he stumbled to the door, jerked it open, and ran outside. His jaw dropped at the scene before him.

His new Nissan Supercharge Frontier, the truck he had saved up all his money for and worked so hard to get, had backed up into the left side of the clinic's entrance, creating a huge hole. Debris littered the ground around it and the back of the truck was dented in. Rukia and his sisters were standing in front of it, looking distraught with what had just occurred.

The Kuchiki had both hands over her mouth and her face was a bright red hue, as if she were both horrified and embarrassed at the same time. Ichigo stared at her expression with a smirk. Despite the fact that she had just crashed his truck into something, the look on her face was just too cute. He couldn't even act like he was mad.

He slowly strolled over to them. They heard his scuffling feet coming closer and whipped around in fear. The Shinigami's eyes were wide as she stared at his approaching figure and quickly focused her gaze to the cement.

"Um…Rukia…" he began, stretching a hand to her. He was stunned when she flinched. Was she expecting him to scold her over this? Well, that _would_ be the more logical outlook…

Instead, he muttered while looking away, "Rukia, relax. It was an accident…Just hand me the keys and I'll drive you guys to where you need to go. And I promise to not look at the present you get for me…"

The short girl glanced up in surprise. After a small pause, she finally asked with a smirk, "You're not going to yell at me? That's not like you at all, Kurosaki Ichigo…"

He rolled his eyes and said, "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Just give me my keys or I _will_ start yelling."

She scoffed at his weak threat but replied while pointing at the truck, "They're still in the igniter."

Ichigo held back a laugh. "You mean the ignition?" he wondered and glanced down at her.

Rukia frowned. "Ignition, igniter, they sound the same! Does it really matter?" she asked angrily.

He sighed and commanded wearily, "Everyone in the car. Now."

The Kurosaki twins rushed to his truck and quickly shut the door behind them.

Rukia, however, hadn't moved. He raised an eyebrow at her and asked, "Why are you just standing there?"

She crossed her arms and inquired, "Are we really going to leave when half of your home is in shambles? It doesn't seem right to leave it like that."

He waved dismissively at her. "I'll fix it when I get back. No one's gonna steal anything, trust me."

The Kuchiki stared at the damage she had made with a frown but walked towards the passenger seat. Ichigo made a mental note to not let Rukia near any vehicles again as he ambled towards his dented truck.

* * *

><p>As he drove them to the mall, the trunk kept making creaking noises, as if it were protesting against any more driving. He thought, all the while trying not to cry, <em>Note to self: whenever Rukia says she thinks something that she's inexperienced with might be easy, stop her before she destroys anything…<em>

He found a shaded parking space near the front, which he was very grateful for. Hopefully his luck was turning around for the better. The tires squealed as he tried to fit his truck into the tiny space. He jerked the shift up to park and twisted the key, shutting off the ignition. They climbed out of the car and walked to the front entrance. Ichigo shoved the keys in his pocket after locking his truck.

A blast of cool air hit the group as they pushed the doors open and Yuzu's eyes sparkled with excitement. Ichigo glanced down at his little sister and asked, "So, do you want me to wait outside the store while you guys get my present? Or should I just-"

The brown-haired girl twirled around to her older brother and shouted, "Oh! I just remembered Ichi-nii! There's a new cake place opening today, and they're giving out free samples to promote their shop! Let's go check it out!" Obviously, she hadn't heard him, or perhaps he was being ignored due to her delight over the new chain store. She always freaked out over new stores being opened, a concept confusing to the adolescent mind of a teenage boy, yet made perfect sense to other females.

Without warning, Yuzu grabbed her twin's hand and shouted, "C'mon Karin! Let's go check out!" The little girl was surprisingly strong, and Karin yelped as her sister dragged her along.

Ichigo blinked, clearly stunned, and yelled angrily, "Hey, wait up!"

However, before he could even take a step, a large crowd surged over to him and Rukia. To be precise, they were sprinting as fast as they could to the clothing store next to them, which was having a big sale. At first, the two were frozen like a deer in headlights. Just as the bustling crowd nearly overcame them, Ichigo grabbed Rukia's hand and trudged through the wave of people, his face pink with embarrassment.

It was quite difficult to weave through all the people there. He tightened his grip on her hand and continuously muttered, "Excuse us. Please move." He was irritated and a bit bewildered with the amount of people, especially teenage girls, heading towards that tiny store.

When they finally broke through the mass, he breathed out a sigh of relief and ran a hand through his spiky hair. "Geez, what the hell has gotten into people these days? They hear 'great savings' and go off running like psychotic, ravenous Hollows even if they don't need whatever it is that's on sale…"

Ichigo glanced down when he felt something smooth and small in his left hand. His face grew hot when he realized that he was still holding the petite Shinigami's hand.

He was about to let go but, much to his surprise, Rukia demanded, a hint of panic in her voice, "Ichigo, don't let go of my hand!"

He blinked and his face felt even warmer when he stuttered, "Wh-Why?"

Rukia rolled her eyes at him, as if the answer should've been obvious. "If human shoppers are as crazed as you say, then I don't want to get separated from you and have to wander around, searching for your reiatsu in this place."

The strawberry was silent for a moment before he allowed himself a small smile. "Hm…Yeah, I don't want to let go either…" he mumbled quietly.

Rukia had been studying a huge map of the mall in front of them and hadn't heard him. "What?" she asked distractedly and turned to look up innocently at him.

He smirked and shook his head. "I said we should try to find my sisters' reiatsus so they don't panic when they notice we're not behind them," he lied quickly. He knew his sisters would manage fine without them but it seemed believable enough.

Rukia frowned and said, "This mall is enormous though! It would take a long time to sift through all the reiatsus here just to find them. I suggest we just head to the cake store they wanted to go to so badly. That seems like our best bet right now."

"But it wouldn't be on the map since it's new, Rukia. Sensing their reiatsu is a better plan. We'd find them faster that way," he pointed out.

"Well, if it's not on the map, we'll just have to ask someone where it is, preferably someone who works in the mall. I told you, Ichigo, that this mall has too many people in it with very weak reiatsus, much like your sisters. To even attempt it is difficult. No regular Shinigami-"

"Well, if you haven't noticed by now, Rukia, I'm no ordinary Shinigami," he cut in, slightly irritated.

She glared at him and muttered, seemingly trying to control her temper, "Yes, I have noticed that, Ichigo. Need I remind you that your abilities at sensing reiatsu aren't up to par with that of even a seated officer in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads?"

He felt a bit hurt at her comment but grumbled in defeat, "Okay, fine. But I hate asking for directions…" It sounded like a pitiful whine even to his own ears, though he didn't care at the moment.

Rukia scanned the area and pointed to an empty store, where a lone woman stood bored behind a counter. "How about there? That place doesn't look busy, so we can ask for directions and get out quick."

Ichigo followed her line of sight and shrugged. "Fine. You're asking though…"

"What is it with men and asking for directions?" she questioned curiously as they headed over to the store.

"We have our pride, you know."

She sighed and put a hand to her temple. Before she could say anything else, the clerk yelled happily, "Welcome to Kay's Jewelers! How may I help you today?" Ichigo secretly wondered how long it had been since that lady had had a customer. She looked more eager and bubbly than most clerks he'd ever met.

Rukia plastered on her cheesy little acting smile and said, with equal bubbliness that made him want to puke, "Hello there! I was just wondering-"

The clerk waved dismissively at her and shouted, "Oh, no need to ask! I can just show you where they are now!"

Even the Shinigami's faultless acting wavered a bit with uncertainty. "You know what we're looking for already?" she asked dubiously, her smile faltering.

Instead of answering, the woman gestured for them for follow her. The two glanced at each other with raised eyebrows before trailing after her.

The dark-haired woman stopped before a display case and hollered (was this woman ever quiet?), "You can decide on which one you like and I'll do the fittings after you choose. Oh, engagements are so romantic!" She swooned and put a hand over her heart with a dreamy sigh.

They had no idea what she was babbling about until Ichigo looked down at the display case. He blushed when he saw various, glittering _wedding bands_. He cleared his throat uncomfortably. He and Rukia weren't even _dating_, and this lady thought that they were…

"No, no, no, no…I think you have the wrong idea…We're not getting engaged…We're not even dating! We just wanted-"

The lady looked shocked. She asked, rather loudly, "Oh! But why are you two holding hands? Surely you two must be in a relationship! A relationship that will never break, that will never-"

"_Lady_…" he broke in breathlessly, trying his best not to scream. "We just need directions to that new cake place. Do you know where it is?"

The jeweler seemed to deflate. "Oh…That's all you wanted…Well, that store is called The Velvet Crumb. It's on the second floor, near Sanrio…"

Ichigo said, "Thanks so much…Um…bye now…" The woman nodded and sluggishly went back to her place behind the counter.

They turned around and the berryhead dragged Rukia out of the store. She glanced back at the jeweler one last time before he led her to the elevators. He pushed a button that had the number two on it and the doors shut behind them.

After walking for a few minutes, they found Yuzu and Karin chomping on some red velvet cupcakes outside the shop. The black-haired twin looked over at them and swallowed before announcing, "Sorry Ichi-nii, you got here too late. We ate the last of the free samples, and everyone bought all the cakes. The only thing we were able to get is their brand of cake mix. Oh, and why are you and Rukia-chan holding hands?"

The Substitute Shinigami shook her hand away swiftly. Rukia stared at him in confusion but didn't try to hold his hand again. "Wh-What are you talking about Karin? We weren't holding hands…Anyway, how did you have the money for that cake mix?"

Yuzu finished her cupcake and inquired, "You mean, Rukia-chan didn't tell you? She gave us the money before we got in your truck because she doesn't know how to work our currency, or something like that. We also bought your present, so we're pretty much done. We can leave now, onii-chan." She brought up a plastic bag that lied next to her and shook it for emphasis.

He looked at his sisters and ordered, "Okay, back to the car then. You guys still have to my cake to bake."

* * *

><p>Like earlier that day, Rukia insisted she take over another task. This time, she wanted to bake his cake by herself. Luckily, Yuzu had learned her lesson in letting the Kuchiki do something she was unaccustomed to and said in as kind a way as possible that her assistance was not needed.<p>

When the pan was in the oven, the brown-haired girl gave Rukia the duty of checking every few minutes to see if the cake was ready after carefully demonstrating how. Ichigo could find nothing wrong with this and finally relaxed.

The girls hurried upstairs to wrap his present as he waited on the living room sofa. In the silence, he thought of Rukia and how determined she had been to give him a good birthday. He smirked as he remembered her blunders and how they reminded him that Rukia definitely had imperfections_. _

_I know she's not perfect, but she tries so hard for me. But I thank God she isn't…Otherwise, how boring would that be? I mean…Sure she crashed my truck…_He bit his lip to keep from feeling dejected about the matter. _Okay, so I'm pretty upset over that still…But her expression was just so cute…Little moments like that…They're just…_

He paused to sniff the air. Something was burning. He turned around and saw black smoke starting to pour out of the oven. He cursed under his breath. _Where was Rukia? She lost all track of time and burnt the cake!_ He scowled as he rushed over to the kitchen, grabbing the fire extinguisher from under the sink.

He held his breath as he turned the oven off and jerked the door open. A cloud of ominous smoke billowed out of the oven, filling the air with the scent of burnt chocolate and sugar. He gagged at the stench and proceeded to spray blindly at the smoke.

Suddenly, the fire alarms started ringing and sprinklers popped out. Then, they started showering water everywhere, making the girls upstairs shriek in surprise. Rukia, followed by the twins, stumbled down the stairs and outside to the front yard.

After opening all the windows downstairs, Ichigo followed them, the sound of the fire alarms ringing in his ears. He glared down at Rukia, about ready to snap at her. His expression softened when he noticed the miserable slump of her shoulders and the downward cast of her gaze. She looked like she was about to cry but was trying to hide it from everyone else.

He felt bad for her. She was just trying her best to make his birthday a good one. He went over to her and took her in his arms, which was met with no protests. Thinking about her earnest attitude about this, and how everything she tried to do for him today failed, made him want to laugh. This feeling boiled inside of him until he couldn't hold it back. He held her tighter so she couldn't see him and his shoulders began to shake with silent laughter.

* * *

><p>After he reassured the firefighters that they had neglected a cake in the oven, and not in fact set their houseclinic on fire, the kind men had disabled the sprinklers and even helped to clean up the extinguisher cream around the kitchen. He guessed they were too afraid to ask about the wrecked side of the house.

Then they left, a bit disappointed that they hadn't stumbled in what must've been what they thought would've been the first fire in ages.

The Kurosakis, as well as Rukia, went inside and roamed around the house to dry their belongings. Fortunately, the paper towels in the cupboards were dry, so he used the majority of them to wipe down the kitchen and living room. He borrowed the hairdryer to dry off the couch, which sort of worked. After they had finished drying what they could, everyone crowded around the living room, completely exhausted.

Yuzu complained about all her stuffed animals being soaked, including Bostov, and she had to wring them out to dry them. The Shinigami exchanged sly glances and tried not to laugh. Poor Kon…

"Lucky for Ichi-nii that we had finished wrapping his gift before those sprinklers went off. Otherwise it would've been soaked," Karin commented.

Rukia got up from her spot on the couch next to Ichigo and said, "We should give him his present now then. By the way, what is it?"

Yuzu grinned. "You'll find out soon enough, Rukia-chan!" Then she rushed upstairs to nab the gift.

The short girl sat down again and yawned. "Hm…today was eventful…" she murmured.

"I'd say that's an understatement…" he remarked with a smirk.

Karin grinned in agreement. "Yeah, that's for sure."

Then the energetic Kurosaki girl came back down, a rectangular package in her hands. She thrust it into her brother's hands and squealed, "Open it!"

Ichigo ripped away the soaked wrapping paper and stared incredulously. It was the famous play Romeo and Juliet in book form. He smiled a little. He really respected Shakespeare, and loved many of his works. He glanced up at his sisters, who were beaming at him happily.

"Do you like it, Ichi-nii?" Yuzu wondered.

He nodded and marveled at the cover. It looked sleek and had an elegant painting of Romeo kissing Juliet. He wasn't a sucker for romance, but this _was_ one of Shakespeare's greatest plays.

Rukia stared at the cover and wrinkled her nose. "Since when did you like things like that, Ichigo? And who's Shakespeare? Sounds like a weird name to me," she told him bluntly.

The strawberry whipped his head to her, shocked with what she had just said. "You've _never_ heard of Shakespeare? What the hell! He's one of the best playwrights ever! And this happens to be one of the many plays he wrote!" he yelled and pointed at the book.

The Kuchiki's eyes widened and she muttered, "You…must really respect him then…"

He scowled and replied, "Yeah I do! Here, I'll read Romeo and Juliet to you right now!"

Yuzu and Karin had been watching this whole fight with amusement. The black-haired twin announced, "Well, I hate gushy things, so I'm going to bed."

Yuzu yawned and whispered, "I'm getting tired too…I'll go to bed now. Good night, Ichi-nii. Happy birthday. Good night, Rukia-chan."

They traveled up the stairs without another word. Ichigo flipped the book open to the first page. "Okay get comfy, 'cause this is a long play…"

Rukia curled her legs to her chest and leaned against his shoulder. His face grew hot but he started, "Two households, both alike in dignity,  
>In fair Verona, where we lay our scene…"<p>

* * *

><p>"…For never was a story of more woe<br>Than this of Juliet and her Romeo," he finished breathlessly and shut the book. It was dark in the room, the only light coming from a flashlight he had gone to get earlier since the lamps had short-circuited when the sprinklers went off. His right arm had gone numb, and he resented the tingling feeling he got when he tried to move it.

"So, what did you think, Rukia? Wasn't it great?" he wondered aloud.

She didn't answer and he looked down, baffled. He noticed that she had fallen asleep against him and sighed. He really wanted to move to get rid of the tingling in his arm, but she looked like an angel snoozing there. He didn't want her to wake up and spoil this.

He grinned and whispered, "Rukia, you steal my heart so many times without even knowing it. Gah, you're so annoying. I can't move now that you look like that…"

Ichigo leaned forward and kissed the top of her head gently, so he wouldn't wake her up. "'Night, Rukia…"

* * *

><p><strong>Omake:<strong>

Isshin entered through the front door wearily. Since it was dark out, he hadn't noticed the ruined side of the clinic yet.

He flicked on the kitchen lights and ran a hand over his face. That meeting was extremely long and tedious. He hoped his boy was happy that his father had gone through all that just for him.

The doctor strolled over to the living room to sit and noticed two figures lying down. He blinked to adjust his eyes to the poor lighting. He grinned mischievously when he saw his third daughter lying next to his slumbering son. He had his arms wrapped around her, as if he intended to never let go. A book and flashlight lay on the floor, long forgotten. As quietly as he could manage, he rushed back to the kitchen and pulled out his digital camera.

He turned off the flash and quickly snapped pictures of them from different angles, all the while snickering to himself.

Then he went over to the computer and uploaded the photos to his Facebook page...

_The next morning..._

"DAD! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?"

Isshin had uploaded a new photo album entitled: My Son and Soon-To-Be Third Daughter's Cute Pics! The album had already gained 78 likes and 53 comments.

**Urahara Kisuke- **Aw, how kawaii! I knew something was going on between them!

_Shihoin Yoruichi, Matsumoto Rangiku, Kurosaki Karin and 20 others like this._

**Kuchiki Byakuya**- Kurosaki, I will not allow this. I will head over to the World of the Living myself. Prepare to die.

_Abarai Renji, Zaraki Kenpachi, Madarame Ikkaku and 2 others like this._

Ichigo's eye twitched and he muttered, "Oh shit..."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: *singing* ~Happy birthday, Ichigo! Happy birthday, Ichigo! Happy birthday! Happy birthday! Happy birthday to you!~ :D**

**Wow…This is a hella long one-shot. XDDD I had to rush just to get this fic out in time for his birthday…It's nearly midnight where I am, and I am exhausted.**

**Reviews keep this fic going! So please take a few minutes of your time to review! Song suggestions appreciated as well! Thank you. **

**What song do you think I should do next? Vote on the poll on my profile please!**

**Oh BTW, that truck I described is my dad's. XDD He wasn't too happy when I told him that I was gonna crash it in this fic. XDDD**

**The bubbly clerk was loosely based off of the manager in Kaichou wa Maid-sama. XDD**

**Link to Little Moments:**

**(see profile)**

_Lyrics to Little Moments:_

_Well, I'll never forget the first time that I heard_  
><em>that pretty mouth say that dirty word.<em>  
><em>And I can't even remember now, what she backed my truck into.<em>  
><em>But she covered her mouth and her face got red<em>  
><em>and she just looked so darn cute<em>  
><em>that I couldn't even act like I was mad.<em>  
><em>Yeah, I live for <strong>little moments <strong>like that._

_Well, that's just like last year on my birthday._  
><em>She lost all track of time and burnt the cake<em>  
><em>and every smoke detector in the house was goin' off,<em>  
><em>and she was just about to cry until I took her in my arms<em>  
><em>and I tried not to let her see me laugh.<em>  
><em>Yeah, I live for <strong>little moments <strong>like that._

_I know she's not perfect, but she tries so hard for me._  
><em>And I thank God that she isn't.<em>  
><em>'Cause how boring would that be?<em>  
><em>It's the little imperfections. It's the sudden change in plans.<em>  
><em>When she misreads the directions, and we're lost but holdin' hands.<em>  
><em>Yeah, I live for <strong>little moments <strong>like that._

_When she's layin' on my shoulder, on the sofa in the dark,_  
><em>and about the time she falls asleep, so does my right arm.<em>  
><em>And I want so bad to move it, 'cause it's tinglin' and it's numb,<em>  
><em>but she looks so much like an angel that I don't wanna wake her up.<em>  
><em>Yeah, I live for <strong>little moments<strong>_  
><em>when she steals my heart again, and doesn't even know it.<em>  
><em>Yeah, I live for <strong>little moments<strong> like that._


	6. Losing You

**A/N: Whew! I haven't written for this fic in a while! I doubt it's been missed too much though, as this is a series of one-shots that barely anyone reads. I'm fine with that though, as long as some people read them and enjoy them! :D I also have a lot of fun writing these one-shots.**

**So, this particular one-shot is basically my take on Ichigo's thoughts throughout the third Bleach movie, Fade to Black, which just so happens to be my favorite Bleach movie of the four (for obvious reasons). **

**The song itself might not suit some people's tastes, just to warn you if you dislike particular types of music. "Losing You" has some screaming in it, fair warning before you listen to the song. If you don't want to listen to the song, you don't have to. You can just read this one-shot as it is.**

**Full summary: Kurosaki Ichigo and Kuchiki Rukia's bond was supposed to be able to endure anything. To even think it could lessen for even a moment was a ridiculous notion. So how could two strangers sever it so easily and take away those memories most precious to them? Ichigo must find a way to restore her lost memories, or face losing her forever. A Fade to Black one-shot.**

**Rating: T**

**Genre: Angst/Romance**

**Song: "Losing You" by Dead by April**

**Disclaimer: Oh, how we all wish Bleach was ours….It's not mine, by the way, and neither is this song. All parts of this one-shot (except for the idea of the one-shot) belong to their respective owners.**

* * *

><p><strong>Losing You<strong>

I felt relief flood over me when I saw her standing before me, unscathed. I ran all over the damn Seireitei to find her, even going to Byakuya's to find a clue as to where she might be. It was weird how nobody remembered her or me, but I didn't care about that so much now. As long as she was safe, nothing else mattered.

I smiled at her and said breathlessly, "I'm glad you're alright…."

"I was so worried!" Kon added, his tears staining my shihakusho slightly. The hell I knew how stuffed animals cried….

She glared at me. Actually, she'd been glaring at me as soon as I got here. What? Was she gonna scold me for worrying about her?

Rukia replied smoothly, "Am I supposed to know you?"

Those words felt like a hard punch to my stomach. My smile dropped. Kon cried out something, but I didn't hear it. "You mean you don't recognize me?" I asked, stepping toward her. "Rukia, it's me!" I shouted and caught her big, violet eyes narrowing at me. What the hell was going on?

Suddenly, a girl with weird hair and some tall guy with a scythe showed up out of nowhere and stood in between me and Rukia defensively. They yelled at me, as if I was going to hurt her or something. This was getting too damn confusing as it was already! "Wait, who _are_ you people?!" I shouted back, furious that they were in my way.

Rukia walked past the two weirdos, regarding me calmly yet cautiously, as she would a stranger. That hurt more than it should have. She paused a few feet away from me and asked in a sort of irritated tone, "Who exactly are you guys? Why are you looking for me, and how do you know my name?"

My eyes widened and I was at a loss for words. No…. Not Rukia too…. She can't have forgotten me, not like everyone else. She can't….

Kon shrieked at her, which only got her angrier. He fainted after she called him a name he didn't like.

"Rukia…" I choked out, finally finding my voice. She turned her heated gaze to me. "You really don't remember me?" She looked mildly surprised, if not confused.

"Think, Rukia…. _It's me, Ichigo!_" I shouted, my voice shaking. I couldn't bear the thought of her not knowing me, not remembering…_anything_ about me.

Her eyes widened then, and I caught a glimmer in them that I desperately hoped was a memory of me, _any_ memory. _Please_ remember, Rukia….

"That name is…" she muttered and then put a hand to her head, groaning in pain. What is happening to her? I need to—

The lanky guy appeared in front of me and swung his scythe around, forcing me to duck. I tried reasoning with him, but he wouldn't hear it. _Dammit, move! _I thought, trying to see if Rukia was alright. I didn't trust her with that weird chick, and it didn't help that she was cheering the guy after me on.

All of a sudden, the guy vanished and I couldn't sense his reiatsu at all. "Where'd he go?" I wondered aloud and then felt his reiatsu behind me. _How'd he do that?!_

I brought Zangetsu up as a block and growled, "That wasn't shun-po! Dammit, who _are_ you people?" I wanted answers _now_. These guys were protecting Rukia, but why? How did they even know her?

"We are your enemy," he said simply.

I was kinda hoping for a better answer than that.

I felt a strange power as his reiatsu rose and then his scythe _passed through_ Zangetsu. I hurried back, not sure what the hell he was doing.

I spared a glance at my zanpakuto to see if it was damaged in any way, but it wasn't. When I looked back at the tall guy, he disappeared before my eyes. "Stay and fight, you coward!" I goaded.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a flash of light and turned to where Rukia and the girl had been kneeling. They had vanished too. "Rukia…." I took a step forward, but it was too late. She was gone.

* * *

><p>I stared dejectedly off into space, ignoring whatever the hell Kon was blabbing on about. <em>How is this possible? How could Rukia forget me? And it's not just her…. Renji didn't know me either….<em> I felt this heavy weight in my chest, making it hard for me to breathe. _What I'm feeling now…. What I'm heading into…. I don't understand it…. _

"I don't know what to do…" I muttered to myself, straightening my back a little. "They're both the same. Both Rukia and Renji…. In their minds, I simply don't exist…."

Stating this truth out loud made me feel dizzy, so I decided to lie down. I put my hands behind my head and stared up at the blue sky flecked with puffy white clouds. The old, wooden porch wasn't exactly comfortable, but whatever. "I kept hoping…that Rukia would be different, that somehow she wasn't affected…." Despite the fact that it was warm out, I felt…so cold…. So…alone….

Just then, Kon strolled over and kicked me in the face. "OW!" I yelled, launching up angrily. "What the _hell_?!" I shouted at the stupid plush, but he just jumped up and punched my chin.

He landed with a soft squeak and demanded, pointing at me with his paw, "What's the matter with you, Ichigo?! What are you acting so depressed about?! Did you go and whack your head or something?! You realized Nee-san was in danger, even while you were in the World of the Living! If you recall, you were the only one who still remembered her, even when everyone else had forgotten about her!" He then put his paws together repeatedly, like he was trying to play an invisible accordion or something. "You two are still connected no matter what anyone does to try and break that bond!"

The freakin' perverted stuffed animal was actually right for once. I narrowed my eyes, upset with myself for getting this way. It was usually Rukia who snapped me out of these stupid funks, but Kon had done a pretty good job too.

Determined thoughts rang in my head. _All I have is you, Rukia…. No one here remembers me, but I can't let you be like them. I _refuse _to allow your memories of me fade to black, empty nothingness. We have a strong bond, even if you don't know it right now. All I need is you…to remember me…._

"Fine! I don't need you anyway! I'll save Nee-san even if I have to do it alone! I don't care if she's forgotten me; she's still my best friend! And I'm gonna help her!" Kon screeched while hopping down the stairs.

I stared at him with lazy fascination. How the hell was that one Kaizo Konpaku gonna accomplish _that_? And since when we're they ever _friends_?

He turned around and pointed at me accusingly. "You just sit there like a knot on a log, and I'm not waiting around until you make up your mind!" he shrieked—damn, could he get any louder?—and stomped off, his feet squeaking annoyingly with each step.

I snapped my attention to the ground again, wondering what the hell I was gonna do to get Rukia to remember me. I didn't have a lot of options, what with those two strangers following her like lost puppies. I had no clue who they even were, but they clearly knew Rukia, and she appeared to trust them, to an extent.

_But _why_? Why did she trust them? Why had she allowed one of them to attack me when I was only trying to help her? _Why did she not know me?

That last question echoed in my mind and I clenched my hands into fists, frustrated. _I am lost…in pain…without you…._ _Rukia…._

The weight in my chest got heavier and my eyes began to water. I blinked rapidly to keep the tears from falling. Goddammit…. I can't be weak now! Not when I had to think of a plan to rescue her!

I shifted a little and heard a crumpling noise as I sat forward. My eyebrows furrowed as I bent back a little to reach into my pocket. My fingers brushed paper and I pulled it out.

My eyes widened. The letter…. It was the letter that Rukia made for me just before she left to go to the Soul Society! I hastily unfolded it, just to make sure it wasn't just some random scrap paper. _I don't remember stuffing this in my pocket…._

I glanced over at her ridiculous rabbit drawings and instantly felt sad again. Even though they sucked really badly, they were proof, proof that I had a bond with Rukia and me and Kon weren't crazy ryoka.

Just seeing me drawn as a rabbit next to a hideous-looking Kon made me crack a smile for a few seconds before it drooped into a small frown. She drew this letter just yesterday, and now she had no idea who I was.

I remember I was reading a book or something on my bed while she was doodling on my desk humming a little tune. At first, I thought it was sort of cute, but I wanted to concentrate on reading, so I asked what she was doing, even though I could see her.

Then, she freaked out and covered the paper like I was could see what the hell it was. She turned around and made this cute pout, which got ruined by her accusing me of looking. Of course, I denied it, and she smirked at me like she was super smart or something. Right….

"I can't tell you; it's a surprise," she taunted with a smile.

_Idiot, it's no surprise you still can't draw…. You didn't need a stupid coded note to tell me you were going to Soul Society either…. You could've told me instead. Maybe I would've come with you and stopped all of this from happening._

I stared at the drawing of the weird mutant-rabbit-me and felt that weight in my chest again.

A flurry of squeaks interrupted my thoughts and I resisted the urge to scowl. "A-ha!" he shouted and spun around.

_What the hell, dramatic much?_ I thought as he marched up to me angrily. He jumped onto my lap, snatched Rukia's note from me, and shrieked, "I was looking all over for that letter!"

I froze as he held it away from me. "You dirty thief! Why'd you steal Nee-san's lovely letter for me when I wasn't looking?!" He glared at me with his little beady eyes.

_Newsflash, it wasn't for just you, idiot_. The words seemed to stick in my throat.

"Why don't you just admit the truth?! She's just too good for a loser like you!" he scolded, turning to leave and hopping down the steps.

"Kon," I called out. He paused, just as I intended him to. "Sorry about that…."

He twirled in place and yelled in confusion, "Huh?!" _Psh, this freakin' guy…._

I stood up and headed down the stairs. "One thing I know for sure, I never thought _you _could teach me anything…. I have a lot to learn, I guess…" I muttered wearily.

If this were Rukia I was talking to, she'd cross her arms in a huff and be all, "Of course! I know much, much more than a simple human such as yourself!" That pride of hers was only a front for covering up that she really did care for my well-being. She'd never admit it, of course, but I knew what she was doing.

"Huh? Wait a minute! You don't get off that easily! What woke you up?!" he demanded. I'd hoped he'd take my silence as a hint to move on, but apparently he didn't get it. "Come back here! I'm not done yelling at you yet!"

I paused and cut in calmly, "Kon."

"Wh-Wh-What?" he stuttered.

I turned my head back with a faint smile. "Thank you." I owed him that much since he talked me out of my depression.

He blushed and hastily twisted around, trying to cover it up. "Well, I'm glad I finally got through to you! Unlike me, if you remember, you also forgot all about Nee-san when this all started! I guess that could be expected though, since my ties with her go a lot deeper than _yours_!" he bragged.

This should've made me mad, but I just smirked. _Sure they are, Kon…._

Suddenly, I sensed several familiar reiatsus approaching fast. I whipped around and found myself looking up at Toshiro, Ikkaku, and Yumichika. As usual, Toshiro looked irritated, Ikkaku slightly interested, and Yumichika bored. They glared down at me like I was their enemy. Great, more people who don't remember me.

"There's no escape for you now. So just give yourselves up quietly, ryoka," Toshiro commanded. A group of Shinigami, most likely unseated officers judging from their relatively weak reiatsus, began to surround me. They drew their zanpakuto and pointed them at me warily.

I decided to ignore them and focus on Toshiro. "An impressive show of strength, Toshiro!" I commended. Maybe talking to them casually would stir a memory or two.

He made a face at being addressed so informally. Typical of him, though.

"What's this? Exactly how is it that you know Hitsugaya-taichou's name?" Ikkaku questioned, narrowing his eyes.

I stepped forward. "'Cause he's a friend! Just like you, Ikkaku!" He seemed surprised by this. I glanced at Yumichika and addressed him as well, only to receive the same reaction.

"I'd never forget you, even though it appears that you have all forgotten me!" I stated confidently.

"Eh? What does _that_ mean?" Ikkaku wondered.

"It's just nonsense, Ikkaku…" Yumichika reassured him, though he still seemed confused. I hope that meant that he was starting to remember me a little.

Toshiro growled, "Who are you? And what is your business here?"

I resisted the urge to sigh. Toshiro didn't seem to be recalling anything. One more try…. "I'm Substitute Shinigami, Kurosaki Ichigo!"

This perked Ikakku's interest. "_Substitute_ Shinigami?" He grinned then, and I knew I was in trouble. "Then prove it by showing me…." He leapt off the rock he was standing on. "…your skills!" he shouted, swinging his sword at me.

I blocked it just in time, my instincts taking over. I'd fought Ikkaku only once before, but I memorized his technique of alternatively using his sword and sheath. It was pretty easy to block all his blows. He started looking more and more frustrated with each swing.

I jumped over him and landed on the broken wooden porch I was sitting on just earlier to catch my breath. Ikkaku glared at me and muttered, "Bastard."

His reiatsu rose and I stared in anticipation, waiting for him to attack again. He crouched then jumped straight at me, aiming his zanpakuto at my chest with a frustrated cry. I brought Zangetsu up as a block and found myself skidding backwards. I focused on raising my reiatsu so my back wouldn't be shredded by the crumbled ruins of the shack. A loud _boom_ sounded behind me as the weak reishi crumbled and dust swirled in the air.

When it cleared, I noted him scowling at me and tensed, anticipating him releasing Hozukimaru.

"Back off, Madarame," Toshiro commanded. "I'll handle this!"

A strong reiatsu flared behind me and I swung just in time for Zangetsu to block his sword. He glared at me with those unnerving, bright eyes of his. "It appears the reports were correct…. You seem to be familiar with our style of fighting…." He narrowed his eyes and continued, "I'll ask you once more: Who are you and why have you come here?"

Okay, this was just pissing me off. I was getting _seriously_ tired of people I know acting this way around me. "As I told you before, I'm Kurosaki Ichigo!" I yelled, frustrated.

Toshiro's eyes flashed dangerously. "I don't remember you!" he shouted back, quickly countering my blade. I was propelled into the air before he jumped up and kicked me in the stomach. I flew backwards into a large stone and debris rained down on me.

Anticipating another attack, I leapt up, clearing the dust in the air. Before I could catch my breath, I heard him shout below me, "Bakudo 63: Sajou Sabaku!" A flash of yellow light rushed at me and hit me square in the chest. I grunted when it wrapped itself around me and slammed me into a tree. The impact made me wince and I glanced down at Toshiro with wide eyes.

He hit his zanpakuto against the ground and a large plume of ice raced from it to where I was. I could only stare as it snaked closer to me and—

"Roar, Zabimaru!" a familiar voice called out from my left and the ice was shredded just before it engulfed me.

Sure enough, Renji appeared on a branch next to me, his shikai retracting back into its usual form. "What are you…." I faltered before I could finish. _Does he remember me now?!_ I wondered, staring at him in disbelief.

He glanced at me then slashed at the Kido trapping me to the tree. I fell pretty far and crouched when I landed, a wave of pain shooting up my legs when I realized I forgot to use the reishi around me to break my fall.

Toshiro stepped forward and demanded, "What is the meaning of this, Abarai?"

Renji didn't answer, only looked to me and ordered, "Get up."

I stared, still uncomprehending that he was helping me now. "Renji!" I finally said in surprise.

He grabbed my collar and shouted, "Don't call me by first name! You're the ryoka who invaded the Seireitei! You're certainly an enemy!"

_Goddammit,_ I thought. _I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions_.

His grip loosened then as he muttered, "But…."

_But? There's a but! Wait, that sounds so wrong…._

"Somehow I can't think of you as the enemy…. My head tells me you're a stranger and can't be trusted. But my heart says otherwise. Something inside me says you're _not_ the enemy!"

My eyes widened. Renji, whether he knew it or not, was fighting against whatever was blocking his memory of me. He knew, somewhere deep down, that I was his friend.

"I may regret this, but I've decided to follow my heart," he declared and shoved me roughly away.

Renji turned around and bowed politely to Toshiro. "I'm sorry for this, Hitsugaya-taichou. Please, let us through."

Toshiro's eyebrows were furrowed in confusion, as if trying to grasp something just out of his reach. Good, if this keeps up—

An extremely powerful reiatsu flared at the entrance to this place and I looked to my left with incredulity. The air felt dry and I felt really thirsty all of a sudden. The ice from Toshiro's earlier attacks simultaneously shattered and melted.

I knew who it was before he appeared. The Soutaichou walked up the steps with four others trailing behind him. "Treason will not go unpunished!" he announced and paused at the top. He met my eyes and I resisted the urge to jump. "The ryoka will be taken into custody."

A bunch of small reiatsus kept popping up all around me and I looked around in wonder to see ninjas everywhere. Since when did Soul Society have freaking _ninjas_?!

Renji yelled, "Soutaichou, hear me out!"

"That's right! We can explain this!" Kon's voice screeched in my ear and I glanced at my shoulder. I forgot the stupid plush was here this entire time….

"You're wasting your breath," the Soutaichou said, still eyeing me.

That one short taichou—Soi Fon I think her name was—stepped forward and gestured at us. "Move in, men!" she commanded and the ninjas reached for their swords.

_Well, crap. We're screwed._

Just then, a blinding flash of red light scattered around us, swatting the ninjas away like flies. I blinked the circles out of my eyes only to see Urahara kneeling in front of me in…was that a haori?! And where was his hat?!

"Turn around, you! Identify yourself!" Soi Fon ordered, her voice wavering with anger, though it was kind of hard to tell since she sounded angry all the time.

Urahara turned around and everyone seemed shocked for some reason. "Why are you here?" I asked, curious. I mean, it was convenient and all for him to save us when we needed it, but….

"Well, Soutaichou, it's been a while, hasn't it?" he greeted casually. _Geez, this guy…._

"How did you get here?" the Soutaichou interrogated. At least he was unruffled by all of this. Being an old guy running the Seireitei, nothing probably fazed him anymore, not even me. Well, maybe I got on his nerves a little, seeing as how a lot of my battles kinda…destroyed Seireitei….

"Well, it's not like I haven't had the means after all this time. I simply chose not to, Soutaichou," Urahara replied.

"Why choose now to appear?" the old guy wondered. _That's a good question…._

"I chose now because I see you have a crisis happening." _Yeah right, stop acting so innocent! You told me about it before I even got here, jackass. So why are you helping just now?_

Just then, Soi Fon screamed, "We don't need help from traitors!" She grabbed at her sword and started to rush towards Urahara.

A tall figure appeared in front of her then, blocking her path. I blinked and instantly recognized who it was. "Just hold up there one minute, Soi Fon," she purred playfully.

The short taichou looked surprised. "Yoruichi-sama!" she choked. _Yoruichi…_sama? _C'mon, she's not _that _respectable_….

"Excuse me for interrupting, but haven't you all forgotten something important?" Yoruichi asked everyone, and I almost wanted to shout, _Yeah, like me! Or Kuchiki Rukia!_

"If we did, what would such a thing be?" Ukitake wondered.

"Yes, since all this commotion is keeping me up at night," the taichou with a pink kimono and straw hat added. "I'm hoping you'll be able to enlighten us."

It was silent for a few moments as I stared at the back of Yoruichi's head. _Well? Say something, you weird cat-lady! Get them to remember who I am!_

The Soutaichou scowled and he demanded, "Our time is limited; what do you know?"

"I've discovered the root of all evil," Urahara responded quickly.

The old guy raised an overgrown eyebrow. "The root of all evil?" he repeated, dubious.

"Yes, but before I go into that…. Listen, Ichigo."

I started when he said my name and really started paying attention. "As I came to suspect, both Mayuri and Rukia's memories were affected by the same enemy," Urahara relayed.

My eyes widened. "The same…. You mean those two with the scythe?!"

He half-glanced back at me. "So you've seen them, have you? In that case, I think you'd better hurry. Go after them and we'll take care of things here. Go now," he urged, though I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"What?" I asked, half-expecting him to turn around with a big smile on his face and be all, "Kidding, Kurosaki-san!" with a stupid laugh to boot.

"Rukia-san is in grave danger," he warned instead.

"We're on our way!" I replied immediately. There was no way in hell I was going to let her be in danger, grave or otherwise. I turned to the idiotic redhead and commanded, "Let's go, Renji."

I started running off without hearing what he had to say. If he was still too confused to try and help me, then that was his problem. I wasn't gonna wait around for him to make up his damn mind.

After running several miles, I finally sensed Renji following me. Well, good for him then. He made a smart decision for once.

We were in some poor part of the Soul Society, though it wasn't as bad as where Rukia used to live. Man, that place was a dump, and it was full of creepy-looking old guys too. How could she even stand to live in such conditions as a kid anyway?

"Tell me something," Renji said, interrupting my thoughts.

"Huh?" I began, turning to look at him.

He had a puzzled expression on his face as he asked, "Exactly…what is it we're trying to do here?"

_Are you FREAKING kidding me?! How dense are you?! _I thought with exasperation. "_We're going to find Rukia!_"

He muttered something to himself then questioned, "Let me ask again, who _is _this person?"

_That's it, you idiot!_ I stopped running, twisted around, and grabbed the fool's collar before he could piss me off any more. "She's _Rukia_! You're saying you still don't remember her?! I can't believe this! You were the person closest to her! You've been friends _forever_!" I yelled.

Why was this so hard for him to grasp? Obviously the two of them weren't as close as they said they were. For some reason, that made me feel a bit…relaxed? I don't know why I felt that way, but hey, I wasn't complaining.

The freaking pineapple-head stared at me, uncomprehending. "…Really? I was?" he wondered and looked away. "Sorry, I just can't help it. I really don't remember…."

"Stop saying that," I grumbled, letting my grip on his shihakusho slacken just a bit. _How am I gonna get this freaking dumbass to—_

I noticed Renji's eyes widen and I let go of his collar. "What's the matter, Renji?" I asked. Was he recalling something about Rukia?

Something flashed in his eyes and he blinked, startled. He glanced down at his hand in shock, like he was making sure it was still there. "Rukia…" he muttered and excitement swelled within me.

"That's right, Rukia!" I exclaimed, stepping towards him. "Call out her name a few hundred times so you can remember!" That might've been an exaggeration, but if saying her name a bunch of times helped, I'd be relieved. Kon and I wouldn't be the only ones who knew her.

Renji stared at his hand for a few more seconds then shook his head. He glanced up at me and started, "I have one question for you."

"Huh?"

"Why are you doing all this to save her? This girl, this _Rukia_." He emphasized her name like he was trying it out.

My gaze fell. I couldn't tell him my reason without being embarrassed. I knew I shouldn't be, I mean, it was just Rukia I was talking about, but still…. What I was about to say could easily be taken the wrong way if you didn't understand my relationship with her. I mean, it was purely friendship.

Sure, whenever she leaves to go to the Soul Society, I get a little lonely. Sure, I steal glances at her whenever she's not looking, but that's only to watch and make sure she doesn't get into any trouble. She doesn't try to, I know, but I swear she manages to find _some way_ to make me get off my ass and help her out, be it some random Hollow or just trying to reach the top shelf in the kitchen. I mean, she's so damn tiny! It's only my nature to want to protect her or help her out. Freakin' midget….

It's not like my heartbeat getting faster when she enters the room means anything either. She just makes me anxious, is all.

And she's so…abusive! Whenever I'm depressed about something, she kicks my ass! What the hell kind of method of cheering up is _that_?! It just gets me out of that mood and makes me pissed off! Just because she made the rain in my heart stop with her just being her doesn't mean I like her _that _way or anything.

_Just because I can't believe I'm losing you now doesn't mean anything special. I'm just being selfish. But I do want you by my side, Rukia. At this point, it is all that I'm breathing for._

"Because…" I replied hesitantly, "She's someone who came along and changed my world."

Flashes of memories flooded into my mind of our first meeting and of that battle with Grand Fisher so long ago. "When my family and I were on the verge of death, she saved us by sharing her Shinigami powers with me…." I gripped my gi in a tight fist. Talking about that time made my heart ache. "It's only because of her…." I cursed myself mentally when my voice cracked. "…That I'm standing here today."

That was true. I still feel like I haven't repaid her for that, even after all the times I've had to save her ass. All those times just didn't seem to compare to that single instance. She'd given me everything, and I felt like I haven't thanked her enough yet. I'd do that as soon as I got her back.

"Alright, enough chit-chat! We gotta find my darling Nee-san!" Kon protested from my shoulder, causing me to jolt.

Renji's eyes widened. "Wait, that thing can _talk_?!" he questioned, taken aback.

"Hmph! I didn't like Renji before all this, and I still don't like him! He's stupid!" the plush declared and crossed his arms.

The fukutaichou furrowed his tattooed eyebrows and protested, "Hey! I'm not stupid, you bag of fluff! I don't even know you!"

"Actually…you do. The first time you saw him, you were curious on how he worked and nearly ripped him apart trying to figure it out…" I commented, trying not to smile at the memory.

Renji smirked. "Sounds about right. Though I think I'd wanna rip him apart whenever 'cause of how annoying he is…."

"Tell me about it…."

"I'm right here, you know!" Kon shrieked, waving at us. "And besides, as awesome as I am, I'm not what's important right now! We gotta find Nee-san! And I know just how to track her!"

"How?" we asked at the same time.

The stuffed lion stood on my shoulder and pointed to his nose with a paw. "By scent! Nee-san has a wonderful scent that I can track anywhere! I'd find her even if she's hidden in a room full of smelly people!"

"How does she smell?" I blurted out, then slapped a hand to my mouth. Renji raised an eyebrow and I could tell he was trying as hard as he could not to smirk.

"Well, wouldn't _you_ like to know, ya perv!" Kon yelled, making a face at me.

I wanted to point out the hypocrisy of his statement, but we had to move. I needed to find Rukia. I turned to him and grumbled, "Whatever. Kon, just help us find her."

* * *

><p>After wandering around like idiots for an hour while Kon sniffed at the floor like a dog, we arrived at an empty area somewhere inside the Seireitei. I waited impatiently for him to lead us to another area, preferably one where I could sense Rukia's reiatsu close by.<p>

He got up with a sigh, so I finally asked, "So Kon, you able to find Rukia?"

"It's no use…. The Seireitei is just too much territory to cover! I can tell you, though, that she passed by this area just a short while ago…" he informed me as he turned around. He looked disappointed with himself, so I decided not to rag on the guy. He'd taken us this far, at least.

"Dammit…. What the hell are we gonna do? We're running out of clues to follow…" I said in despair.

"I have an idea," Renji offered and I glanced back at him hopefully. I'd be willing to take any ideas right now, even from this fool. "I was thinking…didn't you say you received your Shinigami powers from this Rukia?"

I twisted around to fully face him. "Yeah…that's right." What was he getting at?

"Then your reiryoku might be similar."

"Huh?" What was that supposed to mean? I thought all reiryoku were unique.

Apparently, he could tell I was confused because he went on, "I'm saying, we might be able to trace her reiraku!"

"Rei…raku?" I repeated bewilderedly. "Is that even possible here?"

"Not really. You're right that visualizing it here in the Soul Society, where things are composed of reishi, is normally impossible. However, since your reiryoku are similar, you might be able to trace Rukia in spite of all that."

I know wondering about how me and Rukia's reiryoku were similar was the least of my problems right now, especially when Renji was explaining a way for me to find her, but I couldn't help it. I thought when Byakuya stabbed my Saketsu and Hakusui when we first met had gotten rid of any trace of the powers that Rukia gave me. He'd literally cut them away, and any remaining reiatsu of hers, from me. It didn't bother me so much after I got my own powers under control, but if some of Rukia's reiatsu really did lay deep inside me somewhere…then our connection to each other ran far greater than I thought.

"I'm not very good at this sort of Kido, but you should give it a try anyway. I'll help you. There's no harm in trying, right?"

"No harm at all. I'll put every effort into making this work! We're connected…both Rukia and I…. I'm gonna find her and I'm gonna rescue her!" I resolved.

Renji smirked, though it didn't seem like he was gonna tease me about saying what I did. It was sort of…a sign of respect for my determination. "Alright, let's do it," he said and put a hand on my shoulder. His reiatsu poured into me, slowly filling me up with energy.

"Ready!" I exclaimed and shut my eyes. I put a hand to my head, trying to concentrate on detecting Rukia. I felt my own reiraku suddenly tug at my gut, and somehow saw it hover above me in my mind's eye. It then rushed away, trailing its way through the air like a snake.

There was a flash of light under my eyes, and I resisted the urge to open them to avoid being blinded by it. _Ignore it…you have to find Rukia…_I thought, psyching myself up. In response, I shut my eyes tighter together.

The light finally faded away to give me an image of the back of Rukia's head. She was slumped over on that tall guy's shoulder and he carried her towards what appeared to be the Research and Development labs. My reiraku looked like it was almost attached to her.

Some memory about the legend of a red ribbon of fate flickered in the back of my mind. I knew that two people who were bound by one were supposed to be important to each other somehow, though why or how I couldn't remember.

Was it from strong friendship? Nah, that couldn't have been it, otherwise my reiraku would've split up and gone to all my friends in the Seireitei.

Maybe it was just like Renji said, that we were connected because our reiryoku were similar to each other. But…why do I get the feeling that this ribbon meant something…more?

I opened my eyes when I realized that, even from this distance, I could now sense Rukia's reiatsu. It was like everyone else's had just somehow shut off and hers was the only one there. It was strange…yet very convenient.

"Rukia…" I muttered under my breath.

Renji blinked. "So you sense her?" he wondered, looking hopeful. He was probably proud that his Kido actually _worked_ for once….

"Yeah…." I couldn't hold in the grin that tugged at my mouth. "C'mon, let's go!"

* * *

><p>A dark reiatsu spilled from one of the lab towers, and I instantly knew that that was the one where those two kidnappers were holding Rukia.<p>

"Don't know if this is connected to Rukia, but whatever's going on, it's not good!" Renji exclaimed.

You didn't need to tell _me_ that. "_Rukia_!" I shouted, knowing that, at this distance, it would be impossible for her to hear me. I didn't care. She was in danger, and I had to help her!

I started sprinting towards the tower. I didn't care if I was wasting energy doing that; I _needed_ to get to her!

Suddenly, a building just appeared in front of me and crashed into an arch over the path that led towards the lab. I stopped abruptly, watching in amazement as the debris rained down. _Dammit, I'll have to go bankai to get through this mess!_ I thought and lifted my zanpakuto to prepare myself.

Before I could even call out its name, however, Renji ran up from behind me and yelled, "I've got this!" His shikai was already out and he leapt towards the falling debris.

"Hey!" I shouted in protest. There was no way he could handle getting through that with just his shikai!

He swung Zabimaru around, and the blade did a pretty good job cutting through the smaller bits of stone raining down, but that wasn't good enough. The bulk of the building was still intact and heading straight for him. "Renji!" I called out, trying to warn him to get out of the way.

"I said I'd take care of it, and I will!" he shouted at me and his body began to glow red. He screamed, "BANKAI!" and the red reiatsu around him exploded, shattering every piece of debris coming towards us.

A giant bone-snake's head emerged from the smoke with a triumphant roar that cleared away the rest of the rubble hanging in the air. Renji landed in the middle of his bankai's large coil and called out with a huge grin, "Hihio Zabimaru!"

I stared at him in disbelief. "You just…used bankai!" A large building appeared above me before I could properly congratulate him. _Crap!_

Renji's bankai rushed above my head, crumbling the building to nothing but dust. It nearly hit my head, so I scolded, "Hey, watch it, idiot! You almost wiped me out!" Maybe he still forgot how to use his bankai the right way….

"Ha! Pipe down, kid!" he teased as he whipped Hihio Zabimaru back around. Its roar came from right behind me and I turned, only to be hit by it at full force. It was like getting hit by a sixteen-wheeler truck. I almost flew back, so I clawed at the thing's red mane for a hold. I gripped it so hard, my knuckles were white.

_Note to self: throttle Renji when this is all over…._

The stupid pineapple-head rode his bankai like it was a skateboard, laughing to himself while Kon screamed in my ear. He glanced back at me smugly and bragged, "How's that? Zabimaru can be used to take us places as well!"

"I _KNOW_!" I growled, still feeling a little sore from being hit. Did he forget that I had memories of him or something?

"Huh?" he said, looking totally confused. Yup, he definitely forgot that I remembered. Wait, what?

"Never mind!" I yelled, more to myself than to him. "Let's get going!"

He shun-poed over to another arch closer to the labs then whipped his bankai forward. I scrambled onto the bone-snake's head and stood on it, digging my feet into it so I wouldn't fly off.

It slithered closer to the tower and I was certain it would just bust through it. It would be easy from there; I'd just swoop in, take Rukia back, and be done with all of this.

Of course, my stupid luck wouldn't have it. A bunch of stone debris and even a few buildings appeared in front of me, blocking my path. I couldn't tell Renji to use a Hikotsu Taiho from all the way over here, so I knew I had to be the one to take care of this. I lifted my sword up and shouted, "BANKAI!"

My reiatsu rose and the multitude of obstacles exploded from being exposed to it. Hihio Zabimaru shook a little but shot through the smoke still intact. I whipped my sword to my side and called out, "Tensa Zangetsu!" My Ken'atsu shattered whatever remained of the buildings, and they exploded again. What the hell was in them, napalm?

The bankai continued to weave its way toward the tower, though I stood on guard, anticipating more buildings randomly appearing. I sensed Renji come up behind me. "I'm gonna charge up a Hikotsu Taiho so we can get in!" he yelled.

"What?! Won't that bring down the building?!" I asked, glaring back at him.

"Not if I condense it into a smaller shot. It should be just enough to break through the wall!"

We were approaching the building rapidly, so I nodded. "Do it!"

"You don't have to tell me! I _know_!" he growled and I felt his reiatsu rise a little. Hihio Zabimaru snaked ever closer to the building, and he scowled. "Hikotsu…Taiho!"

* * *

><p>We stepped through the hole in the wall calmly, Renji's bankai coiling around us to block any attacks those two strangers might try. A bunch of smoke from the blast surrounded us, but I couldn't be bothered by it. What was more important was—<p>

"Rukia, I've come for you." Hey, it was a pretty cliché line for me to say in this instance, but what else was I supposed to say? '_Hey, Rukia! I know you don't know me right now, but trust me, you do. So let's leave these two losers and go along our merry way to being friends again'? _Nah, the cliché worked better.

"NEE-SAN!" Kon squealed.

"That girl…is Rukia?" Renji questioned. So he still didn't recognize her, even after seeing her face-to-face? Man, he was hopeless….

She stepped forward, but she wasn't looking at me. For some reason, she was staring longingly at…Renji? I felt a wave of anger wash over me. Why was she looking at _him_ like that? _I_ was the one who remembered her! _I_ was the one who wanted to save her the most!

She put a hand to her head and furrowed her eyebrows. My heart jolted. Was she in pain?

"Go _away_!" the girl with the weird-colored hair ordered, rushing in front of Rukia. "Go away, Shinigami! Rukia doesn't know you, and doesn't _want_ to know you!"

"You're wrong about that," I blurted out before I had time to think about what I was saying. "Rukia happens to be a very close friend of ours!"

The girl cried out in frustration and took a step towards us. "You're wrong! Rukia's not like that anymore!" She shook her head and wailed, "She doesn't wanna be with you; she's with _us!_" She put her arms out protectively, like I was going to hurt Rukia.

_No, I would never hurt her! She may not know that we're friends now, but she—_

"She just needs to remember, that's all!" I exclaimed, stepping forward and spreading my left arm out. I looked straight into Rukia's eyes and urged, "Think, Rukia, you can't give up being a Shinigami; it's a part of you!" She was trembling, struggling with…something. Was something blocking her memories from coming back? I had to help her remember!

"The first time we ever met…you put your life at risk to save me!" I continued, gaining confidence. "You even shared your powers with me! You were willing to do that to protect my family!" Memories of that fateful first night swam in my mind, and an image of Rukia wearily sitting against a telephone pole, holding her zanpakuto to my chest and offering me her Shinigami powers, made me falter.

"That's the type of person you've always been!" I screamed, almost pleadingly.

She quivered where she stood and put a hand to her temple. She was having a hard time with recalling anything, I knew, so I cried out, "Rukia!"

"I…." She shut her eyes, straining herself just to remember a single thing about me.

"NO!" the girl cried and gripped Rukia's shoulders. "You have to resist! Don't listen to them, _please!_ We need you! We need you here with us!" she shrieked and suddenly hugged Rukia. "Don't go back to the Shinigami!" She paused and pulled away, seeming to realize with horror that she slipped up.

"Go back to the Shinigami?" Rukia wondered and the girl squeaked. She grabbed the girl's wrists and questioned fiercely, "I was a Shinigami? You lied to me?"

The girl didn't answer and began crying softly. Rukia let go of her and turned to stare at me uncertainly. "Shinigami, say it, your name again."

My eyes widened at this, but I answered, "Kurosaki…Ichigo…."

"Kon-sama!" Kon exclaimed, but everyone ignored him.

"Kuro…saki…" she mumbled and a shadow passed over her eyes. She seemed deep in thought, hopefully remembering how important I was to her, and her to me. Her violet eyes widened in recognition and she called out, as if surprised at herself, "Ichigo!"

I wanted to smile and cry at the same time. Rukia _knew_ me! She…remembered!

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" the girl screamed and the same dark reiatsu I saw swirling outside the lab surrounded her. The pure force of it sent Rukia flying back.

"Rukia!" I yelled in concern. I was going to use shun-po and catch her, but the tall guy with the scythe already had her.

He held the blade against her throat and threatened, "Don't you move!"

My heart almost stopped. "LEAVE HER ALONE!" I roared. I wanted to kill this guy for even thinking of harming Rukia!

The girl shrieked furiously and turned to face us. Her dark reiatsu spilled over us and she snarled, "We won't let you have Rukia!" Her reiatsu just kept growing until nearly the entire lab was dark.

"Sister…" the tall guy pleaded. They were siblings?

"We'll never let you have her! We'd rather _destroy_ her!" she growled, absolute rage flashing in her eyes. _No way…. Why would they do that if they obviously care about her so much?! _

"Who is she?" I wondered aloud. How exactly did she and her brother know Rukia, and why was her reiatsu so powerful?

"We will become one with Rukia!" she yelled, glaring at us with such ferocity that I knew I wouldn't like whatever the hell that meant.

Her brother muttered, "If that happens, Rukia will disappear. You want that?" _Disappear?_

The girl said nothing, so he bowed his head. "Understood," he stated simply and his reiatsu flared, filling up the lab with even more darkness.

"We'll be together forever…" he said joyfully while Rukia struggled in between the two dark reiatsus. She was probably still strained from remembering all she did about me. I wanted to move in and save her, but the girl stood in my way.

"Rukia…" the siblings chanted, almost like they were performing a ritual, and approached her slowly. Their dark reiatsus swirled around her then exploded outwards, creating a black storm that whirled about the room.

Rukia screamed in agony, clutching at her throat like she was being choked. "_RUKIA!_" I yelled fearfully, trying to move forward with the intense reiatsu all over the place.

"Nee-san!" Kon screeched.

The darkness clung to her and pulled her further in, eerily cutting off her screams. The reiatsu curled in around her and burst in a flash of intense light. It was hard to just stand there with the powerful waves continuously pushing against me.

_"RUKIA!" _

The dark reiatsu began to clear and my eyes widened. She was dressed in the torn, white kimono with the golden sash that I saw that girl wearing, and a maroon cape flowing behind her lavender hair. She gripped the scythe that guy was holding with her head bowed and eyes closed.

As soon as the reiatsu stabilized, her eyes snapped open and I took a step back. They were slitted, like a cat's, and her original deep violet eyes had faded to a lifeless lavender that matched her hair.

"Disappear…" she muttered, but it wasn't her voice. It was the siblings' voices speaking through her simultaneously. "Everyone…." She turned around and walked towards this strange flower-thing sticking through the floor of the lab, removing a vial attached to the scythe. "Everyone…disappear!" she shouted and jammed it into a slot, making it glow eerily.

It crackled with electricity and activated this huge machine next to her that began bubbling. A huge, white snake emerged from it and slithered towards us.

"This must be the root of all evil that's messed up the Seireitei!" Renji guessed.

"How do we stop it?" I wondered, talking more about Rukia than the machine. I knew it was selfish of me to be more worried about _her_ than the fate of the entire Seireitei, but I didn't give a damn. I wasn't prepared to be strong for other people when one of my best friends became possessed right in front of me while I had done nothing.

"In that case, you must do something about that woman," he replied and I glanced at him with wide eyes. Had he read my mind or something?

He continued with a smirk, "That _is_ what you came here for, I believe."

I frowned. He already knew I'd choose to save Rukia first, Seireitei be damned.

I stared at Rukia again, unprepared to carry on. She wasn't that far from me, but, now that she was this…darker version of herself, she felt…distant…so far away from me that I wasn't really sure I'd be able to get her back to me.

But…I knew I had to try…for her….

"These guys are yours," I told Renji as more snakes came out of the machine and raced towards us. I leapt and shun-poed over to Rukia, dodging Hihio Zabimaru as it slithered clumsily behind me.

As I neared her, I shouted, "Rukia!"

Kon added a "We're here!" and she slowly turned around. I was nearly three feet from her when she suddenly disappeared, along with any trace of her mixed-up reiatsu. I skidded to a stop, looking around the spot where she had once stood.

The strange reiatsu flared just behind me and I twisted, only to see her swinging the scythe at me without so much as a flicker in expression. I brought up my bankai as a block just in time, but a strong wave of reiatsu engulfed me and Kon. I flew back, not expecting such force from her attack, while Kon flew in another direction.

I skidded back and glanced up to the direction that Kon flew in. I yelled his name, but he got caught in the purple goop that the machine was using to make those white snakes. I couldn't do anything about that, so I looked back to Rukia.

She glared at me coldly, as if she, or rather the siblings, were calculating how to best kill me and raze the Seireitei. It was so angry, so…_not_ Rukia, that all I could do was mutter her name to myself.

Suddenly, the machine next to us burst and a bunch of electrified gunk flooded the lab. I just had time to close my eyes before it shot up like a geyser and exploded, probably breaking through several gas pipes to make it do so.

I found myself standing on solid ground then, so I snapped open my eyes. The filthy stuff had hardened into some stone-like substance that spread out from the building like an ugly blossom.

Rukia leapt at me out of nowhere, bringing her scythe down to slice me in half. My arms automatically rose up to block it. My body was so used to battling that I had to actually think _not _to counter so I wouldn't hurt her. I even cut my reiatsu by at least half so she wouldn't get hurt in any way.

She twirled her scythe in her hands and tried slashing at me again. I brought Tensa Zangetsu up half-heartedly, and it wasn't enough to block her weapon entirely. She nicked my face a bit and I shouted desperately while jumping back, "Rukia!"

The reiatsu she emitted was strange. It felt like it was sapping away my energy, bit by bit, until I was too weak to even counter. Maybe that was the siblings' intention.

She got in a different stance, narrowing her eyes at me. While she ventured a step forward, I took one back. I had to maintain the distance between us to figure out something to separate her from those two deranged siblings.

"Shear him away!" the girl voice sounded. Speak of the devil….

"Yes, do it now!" the guy's voice ordered and Rukia launched towards me. My eyes widened and I jumped back. I hardly had any time to recover from _that_ before she swung the scythe at me again. I had to backflip just to dodge it. For a split second, that dark reiatsu vanished completely and reappeared to my right. It was so fast that only reflex saved me from being beheaded. I saw her emerge from what looked like dark flames and she took another swing at me, though it wasn't with the blade this time. She jabbed wildly with the bottom of the scythe, like she was trying to bash my brains in. It was difficult to dodge, so I tried smacking it away with my zanpakuto. It didn't work; she kept right at it, suddenly changing it up by slashing at me.

I leapt away from the attack, but Rukia was relentless. She ran after me again and I had to raise my blade just to catch her ferocious assault. The unstable ground underneath me shattered, creating a crater. I sensed that if it was put under any more pressure, we would plummet down into the labs again.

"Stop this!" I shouted at her, though she just kept glaring at me with those…dead eyes. _Now…I can't make it through to her!_

The strain became too much, so I swung the scythe away and jumped out of the crater. As expected, she came after me, whirling gracefully in the air before leaping back and ricocheting toward me with even more force. I blocked her next slash, but the sheer power from it was making my arms shake. The dull back of my bankai started biting into my palm as she tried forcing her scythe down.

"Please Rukia, you gotta try and snap out of it!" I begged, struggling against my instincts screaming at me to counter and possibly hurt her. Stupid inner Hollow, this was Rukia, dammit! I can't be strong…. Not against her!

"It's me, Ichigo!" No glimmer of recognition in her eyes. "Try to remember…Rukia!"

A weird-sounding cry came from behind me, and I spared a glance back, only to see those giant snake-creatures coming straight at me.

The pressure on my sword lightened and I lost balance, stumbling forward. I looked up in surprise and saw Rukia standing farther away. She had this triumphant smirk on her face that just plain pissed me off. What the hell were _they_ gloating about?!

"Disappear now, Shinigami! We're sure Rukia wouldn't miss you!" the siblings taunted and cackled. It looked really wrong for them to be using Rukia's body to laugh about my demise.

I focused on the snake-creatures again and aimed my zanpakuto at them. I raised my reiatsu, feeling the energy well up inside me, then cried out, "_GETSUGA_—"

Out of nowhere, Renji's bankai flew up and slammed into them, causing them all to screech in frustration and dissipate into reishi.

"Hey, I thought you were gonna take care of that woman, Ichigo!" I heard Renji tease from behind me. I turned my head and saw him standing there casually, like this was just a regular thing for him. He hefted the hilt of his zanpakuto over his shoulder like it weighed nothing and smirked.

I scowled and yelled, "I _was_, but then these things came after me! I thought you were supposed to take care of them, Renji!"

"I just did, idiot. Geez, focus on your task and I'll focus on mine, okay?!" he growled back, swinging his huge bankai at more of those snake-creatures.

"Tch, you don't have to tell me that!" I retorted and ran past him to get back to Rukia. There was this upset expression on her face, like she was disgusted by Renji's sudden appearance, which would've been funny in different circumstances.

She twitched, noticing me approaching, then disappeared. _Dammit, she has to stop _doing_ that!_

Rukia's reiatsu flared behind me and I blocked her swings again. "Stop it!" I yelled, though I knew it wouldn't work. Nothing seemed to be working….

"Rukia!" I started, but was cut off when she landed a deep gash on my arm. I winced and flew back so the wound couldn't get any worse. This time, she stood back, as if analyzing me. This brief interlude made me realize just how tired I was getting, and I wiped the sweat away from my forehead.

The sister began to speak then. "This person…. I must shear away every last one of his memories! Once that is done, no one will remember Rukia at all!"

"Yes, then we will be the only ones in Rukia's life…" the brother agreed.

Alright, _enough_! "Damn idiots! You can't take away memories that easily! You tried this with Renji, but his heart remembered me! Rukia will as well. You'll never be able to destroy the memories that bind us together!" I screamed at them.

I didn't mean to provoke them, but Rukia rushed at me with even more hatred than before. Her reiatsu seemed to be increasing, getting stronger and heavier. Her next attack enveloped us in her dark reiatsu. I could hardly see a thing.

"Rukia, _fight back_!" I roared angrily. C'mon, I couldn't be the only one fighting these guys! Was she even _trying_?! Did she wanna be rid of these freaks or what?!

I felt her scythe going through Zangetsu so I ducked. It barely missed me and I leapt back before she could try slashing at me again. "Dammit!" I was so_ sick_ of having to deal with this. I wanted Rukia back so badly, my chest ached. "Rukia…" I whispered to myself, staring into that large mass of reiatsu flaring everywhere.

Suddenly, it exploded and rose into the air like flames. It pulsated with dense, furious hatred. Rukia stood in the middle of all of that, her head bowed and eyes shut, as if praying.

She soon straightened and opened her eyes, but…they weren't there. Her eyes were completely pitch black, reflecting the nothingness within. No trace of light could pierce such darkness.

She seemed reenergized by this because she launched herself at me with more vigor than before. Rukia feinted to my right, then quickly shifted so she could reach for my other side. I stumbled back then jumped out of reach just before she could hit me.

I leaned back when she took another swing at me, a lazy dodge, I know, but fighting Rukia was exhausting. I had to keep jumping all over the place, blocking, dodging, and occasionally shouting at her all in a vain attempt to break through to her without hurting her. Blood flew off the blade, distracting me momentarily.

Apparently, that was all she needed, because it was in that instance that she vanished completely from my senses. I looked all around me, anticipating anything from a frontal assault to a sneak attack to my flanks.

"Hey, watch it! She's coming at you from behind!" Renji warned.

Just as I took a step back, I felt that dark reiatsu suddenly blaze behind me. Everything seemed to slow down after that. The scythe swung in front of me and I knew that this was it. I wasn't going to be able to save Rukia. I was going to die a pathetic death at the hands at the very person I was trying so hard to save. The last thing I would see would be Rukia grinning maniacally as she chopped my head off. Had all my efforts really amounted to such a cruel twist of fate?

"Bakudo 61: Rikujokoro," a familiar voice sounded calmly in front of me. Six bars of yellow light suddenly flew at Rukia. She lost her momentum and toppled forward with a surprised cry.

She struggled against the Kido that held her and snarled like a wild animal. She got up on her knees and glared ahead at the person who trapped her.

"Taichou!" Renji exclaimed.

"Byakuya!" I called out, just as stunned. _Oh man…he has to see his sister in such a state…._

"_Who are you?!_" the siblings questioned through Rukia.

Byakuya didn't answer, only stood there silently for a few seconds. He then unsheathed his sword, probably out of a sense of duty, but I sensed the hesitation behind it. Did he remember her?! If so, then—

"Byakuya! _NO_!" I yelled, panicking that he really was going to slay his sister in the name of justice.

"If what you say is true, then I have no choice…. It is my responsibility." He didn't sound as righteous as he usually was when he said that. I wasn't sure, but maybe he was…sad? But then _why_? Why would he suggest destroying Rukia?

The possessed Shinigami howled and her reiatsu went through the roof. "Don't do this! No matter what, Rukia's still in there! I can sense her soul; they can't destroy the connection!"

She cried out furiously, struggling to break free from the Kido. "I'm right here! Try to break through to me, Rukia!" I yelled desperately, staring right at her. _I'm here for you now…. Please, Rukia, I know you can fight them!_

Her reiatsu grew stronger, causing the Kido around her to shatter. The siblings screamed as they realized they were escaping their bonds. But now…Rukia's reiatsu was—

"Her reiatsu's already turning into a Hollow's…" Renji muttered with a scowl. "She…can't be saved…."

"No…." Rukia couldn't be—

"Rukia…. Rukia…" a voice sobbed from somewhere around me. That voice!

I looked around me and saw the stupid lion plush encased in that weird stone-like material, frozen in a pointing pose and bawling his button eyes out. "Kon!"

"Please _save her_!" he begged and continued wailing pitifully. He really did care a lot for her, didn't he…? "You have to _save her_!"

_Do you want to save your family?_ Rukia's voice echoed in my head, and the memory of our first meeting flashed in my head. She had willingly given up her powers to save me and my family…. Rukia had given me the strength I always desired. The strength…to protect….

I knew then what I had to do.

I walked forward slowly, still a bit hesitant. Byakuya glanced at me in confusion, so I explained, "She sacrificed herself to save my life and my family's lives. She went and took a chance on _me_…. That's why I'll never give up! …I'm gonna save her…even if it costs me my life!"

He took a step back and said, "You may do as you wish. I understand…." I would have to thank Byakuya later for giving me this chance.

The siblings howled in triumph as they finally broke free of the Kido spell. Their dark reiatsu spilled over me, but I refused to be intimidated or pulled back into despair. My resolve to rescue Rukia couldn't be broken again.

"Shear him! Kill the Shinigami!" the siblings roared with a sick grin.

I took a deep breath and muttered to myself, "Well…here goes…. This time, Rukia, I'm sharing my powers with you!" I got into a better stance to do this, focusing most of my reiatsu into my bankai's blade.

She launched herself at me while laughing maniacally. I ran toward her in return. "Come back to us, Rukia!" I screamed, and that memory of our first meeting flashed in my head again.

_My name is Kurosaki…Ichigo!_ I had said then as I pulled her sword and let it pierce my chest.

I tried not to wince as I felt my blade go through her body. Her blood spilled onto the ground. I tried not to look. If she died because of this, it would be all my fault…. "Rukia…" I whispered, trembling as her blood trickled down onto my hand.

The siblings cried out in pain and this intense light poured out from her wound. I shut my eyes tightly and waited for the light to die down. It shone on for a few more seconds before flickering and finally fading. When I deemed it safe, I opened my eyes, only to see this snake-like Hollow wriggle in front of me then disappear with a final scream.

I had no time to wonder what that was. I quickly removed my bankai from her chest. The blood had stopped. I would've been relieved had she not fell forward. _No…was she?!_ I knelt down to catch her, wrapping my arm around her.

Something exploded behind me, and I pulled her closer to protect her from any debris that might rain down. Smoke filled the air, so I buried my head in her hair. She hadn't moved at all during any of this.

_No, Rukia…. _Without thinking, I kissed the top of her head. _Please…._

She twitched and I hastily backed away, letting my arm fall to its side. I stared down at her warily, wondering if she remembered me now that she was dressed like a Shinigami again.

"Ichigo…" she whispered. I had never heard a more beautiful sound in my life.

I smiled warmly and greeted her with a simple, "Yo!"

I let myself stare at her longingly for a few seconds before I sensed two very weak reiatsus nearby. Rukia seemed to sense them too, because we looked over at the source at the same time.

I wasn't sure what to feel when I saw those two siblings lying on the ground, struggling just to stay alive. We stood up and Rukia looked to me, as if asking permission for something. "Ichigo!" she shouted, her voice urgent. Looking in her eyes, I could tell that, despite all this, despite all the crap that these siblings put her through, she still cared for them. I couldn't exactly understand why, but if she wanted to go to them, then I would let her. I mean, it's not as if she had to ask me in the first place anyway….

"Help them…" I said simply and the grateful gleam in her eyes was all I needed to know I had made the right decision.

She rushed over to the fallen siblings and spoke to them in a gentle tone. I couldn't hear what they were talking about, but she grasped their hands desperately. Urahara seemed to inform her of something and her voice rose in a panic.

"Listen to me, both of you! Your lives haven't ended! Death is not an end!" Something warm in my chest sparked at this, and an idea began forming in my mind.

"Look at what's happened; you came back to see me, didn't you? You're a part of my life…and that makes me so happy…" she said, her voice cracking. So she knew then…. That the siblings were going to….

Rukia shook her head and said, "No matter what, you are never alone…. The most important person of all was right there next to you…. Right there next to you all the time…."

I had never heard her on the verge of tears before. It didn't sound…right, Rukia crying. She was tough, and brave, and good. She didn't deserve to have her heart torn apart. "It has all come back to me…. I remember your names! Homura and…Shizuku…. Together, it means the two of you shine brightly…."

So they had no names before…. Then, the names Rukia chose…were beautiful. Like…her.

The siblings' reiatsus began fading rapidly, and I was sure she could sense that. "Homura? Shizuku?! _Talk to me…please! HOMURA! SHIZUKU!_ …It's not _fair_…. _Come back to me!_"

The clouds were dark, and they let out the rain they had been carrying at last. It poured down torrents of rain, but I could care less about that right now. Rukia was—

Their remaining reiatsu faded into nothing. Rukia screamed mournfully at the heavens. The sound echoed in my ears, and I couldn't stand it. This wasn't _right_. She was suffering because of my selfish decision to save her_. I_ had done this to her. _I_ made her cry….

Then it would be my responsibility to apologize.

I was the first one to move to her. "Rukia, c'mon…" I muttered and held out a hand to her.

She glanced back at me, her eyes wide and uncomprehending. "No…" she whispered, her voice hoarse.

I narrowed my eyes at her, blinking away the rain that gathered on my eyelashes. I knelt down and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Come…_on,_" I said and pulled her up.

I could feel her trembling and she reached out towards the siblings desperately. "_NO_!" she shrieked and struggled against me.

"_RUKIA!_" I yelled. She flinched.

"Rukia…enough…" I whispered and pulled her closer. My heart felt like it was being ripped apart as it was. If she couldn't face reality, then—

Suddenly, bits of blue light broke off the siblings' bodies and flew into the air. A sound like a sigh surrounded us and their bodies dissolved into pure reishi. It might've been my imagination, but I could've sworn that some of the bits of reishi swirled over to Rukia and hovered above her head before they drifted to the sky.

Rukia's trembling got worse, and I was scared that she was going to fall on her knees again. Instead, she turned around and buried her head in my gi, gripping it in her tiny, shaking hands like a lifeline. I pretended not to hear her soft sobs.

My gaze softened and I dropped Tensa Zangetsu. I wrapped my arms around her fragile form and shut my eyes tightly.

I didn't notice at the time, but the rain was lighter than before.

* * *

><p>I avoided her the next day. Hanataro had healed my wounds in the Squad Four barracks, though he said he couldn't repair my broken heart. He said that he could feel my emotions as he healed me or whatever, but he was wrong. My heart wasn't <em>broken<em>. Just torn out of my chest, leaving me feeling hollow.

It was Ukitake who got the Senkaimon ready for me.

"Kurosaki-san, we can't thank you enough for helping us. And I must give you my heartfelt thanks for saving Kuchiki. She really is a valued member of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads," he said in his usual, upbeat way.

I faked a smile and nodded. "Ah yeah…. It was nothing…. Tell her I said bye, okay?" I asked and turned toward the Senkaimon.

"Wait! You don't want to tell her yourself?" he wondered, astonished.

I shook my head. "Nah, she probably doesn't want to see me…." Especially since she knows that I was the one who killed those siblings….

"Well, that makes everyone then. She went off to the seventy-eighth district in West Rukon by herself. She said she needed time to think…."

I shrugged. "I wouldn't blame her."

"You know, Kurosaki-san, if she would want to see anyone right now, it would be _you_," he stated with a faint smile.

I raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

Ukitake shook his head knowingly, like he had some secret he couldn't tell me. "Oh, I just know." He beamed at me. "Go talk to her, Kurosaki-san. I know she would appreciate it."

I looked away, thinking how much I didn't deserve that. "…Okay…."

* * *

><p>It didn't take too long to find her again. She was on that hill I found her on when this mess all started. She seemed to be staring down at something in her hands.<p>

Maybe she didn't sense my reiatsu…. I approached her slowly, and she didn't turn around until I was about three feet away from her.

"Ichigo…are you going back?" she asked.

"Yeah…."

"Thanks…. It appears you have saved me…once again." She wasn't mad at me? And there was no need to thank me for doing that….

"Don't forget that it was _you_ who originally saved me…" I blurted out and looked away. She sounded surprised by this. Why? I thought she knew this already….

"You know…" I began again. "If death really isn't the end of everything, then that first time we met might not really have been the first time…. For all we know, we might have been connected from way before that." It was a romantic notion, but this was the idea that popped into my head when she said this yesterday.

"I'm not really sure…but I think once a bond is formed, it can never really disappear. And, if that's the case, even if we forget everything, we'll all be connected again…sometime in the future. That'll be true for you and those siblings as well…."

One look in her eyes made me realize that she was never mad at me for what I did. She seemed to be saying that Homura and Shizuku's deaths weren't my fault. That was all I needed. Her eyes were my light, my comfort, my everything. I never realized just how much Rukia meant to me until now.

She turned to face me and simply said, "Yes…." That one word seemed to agree with me, that she knew that she was all I had, and that I was all she had.

"Alright…guess I should head back…Shinigami," I teased.

Rukia smiled, seeming to understand. "Don't call me Shinigami. I'm Kuchiki…Rukia…."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: …So yeah…. That was…long…. X3 Sorry for that. I really wanted to fit most of Ichigo's thoughts throughout the movie (as I interpreted them X3), so that's why it's, um…twenty-five pages. *coughs* XD I apologize for that.**

**You could've actually skimmed through about half of it since I copied the quotes and plot from the movie. Some of it, though, was actual Fanfiction (if you've watched the movie, basically the parts that weren't in the movie; call it deleted scenes, if you will).**

**So, though it was extremely long, do you guys like it? My personal favorite part to write was the scene when Ichigo tries to pry Rukia away from Homura and Shizuku after they died. It was just really…beautiful, you know? Not to toot my own horn, but I wrote that part on my own, by the way. X3**

_Lyrics to Losing You:_

_What I have in me,__  
><em>_in my mind is you!__  
><em>I would die if we were through!  
><em>What I'm feeling now….<em>_  
><em>_What I'm heading into!__  
><em>I am lost in pain without you!  
><em>So cold…. So alone….<em>

_All I have is you!__  
><em>_It is all that I'm breathing for!__  
><em>_All I need is you!__  
><em>Now I can't make it through!

_All the nights I've prayed….__  
><em>_Must this all be untrue?__  
><em>I am not prepared to be strong!  
><em>I just can't believe…I am <em>_**losing you**__!__  
><em>Unprepared to carry on!  
>I can't see you walk away!<br>_So cold…. So alone…._

_All I have is you!__  
><em>_It is all that I'm breathing for!__  
><em>_All I need is you!__  
><em>Now I can't make it through!_  
><em>_I am __**losing you**__ forever….__  
><em>I am lost in pain without you!  
><em>I am leaving ground forever….<em>_  
><em>_(Forever, forever….)_

Distant, so far! Destiny's selecting me!  
>I can't be strong! Life is disconnecting me!<br>Now loneliness's infecting me!  
>Gone are the days…you were there protecting me!<em><br>__So cold…. _So alone!

_All I have is you!__  
><em>_It is all that I'm breathing for!__  
><em>_All I need is you!__  
><em>Now I can't make it through!_  
><em>_I am __**losing you**__ forever….__  
><em>I am lost in pain without you!_  
><em>_I am leaving ground forever (forever)…._

_All I have is you! _(It is all that I'm breathing for!)  
><em>All I need is you! <em>(Now I can't make it through!)

_It is all that I'm breathing for…._


End file.
